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Last updated June 3, 2004
Sandy Schuckett aq061@lafn.org of the California School Library Association and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) are asking librarians across the country to ask their members of Congress to sign on to become co-sponsors of HR 2674, a bill that outlines a plan for encouraging and recruiting young people into the library profession.
Below is a "Dear Colleague" letter from California Rep. Xavier Becerra who continues to be a great friend of school and public libraries. This bill, which he wants to add as an amendment to the Higher Education Act, could do much to recruit young people to our field, since it outlines a plan to forgive percentages of Perkins Loans for those who go into service in a school or public library upon graduation. At the ALA Legislative Day in Washington, D.C., those meeting with Representative Becerra promised him as many co-sponsors for this bill as possible from around the country.
Please urge your legislators to co-sponsor this important bill. Read about it below. It says that co-sponsors need to sign-on by having their Representative's staff contact Cindy Panuco in Rep. Becerra's office at 202-225-6235.
====================================
[A letter from California Rep. Xavier Becerra to his Congressional colleagues]
May 12, 2004
KEEP OUR KIDS READING: INSPIRE SOMEONE TO BECOME A LIBRARIAN
Dear Colleague,
Public libraries and schools across this nation are experiencing a dire shortage of librarians. The shortage of librarians is attributed to a combination of two factors. First, it is difficult to recruit and retain qualified librarians in the face of low salaries. Second, an alarming number of librarians are reaching the age of retirement. One in four librarians will retire in the next five years. Nearly 60 percent of professional librarians will reach the age of 65 between 2005 and 2019.
To help fill these voids, I have introduced HR 2674 THE LIBRARIAN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2003, critical legislation that will encourage individuals to pursue careers as librarians in public schools and libraries in low-income areas by providing student loan forgiveness.
State and local government budgets are tighter than ever and public libraries are being closed to save money. According to a national study recently conducted by the American Library Association, 41 states have absorbed more than $50 million in library funding cuts over the past year. As a result, libraries are reducing personnel, freezing salaries, and reducing operating hours (including some library closings). More and more, our children rely on their own school's library for their resources. The fact is school libraries have become even more important as the place where our children learn outside of the classroom.
There have been bipartisan efforts to address the critical shortage of librarians. The President's FY 2005 budget requested $23 million dollars to fund an initiative to recruit and educate librarians for the 21st century. HR 2674 is also a simple way to encourage more students to enter and stay in the field and serve children and youth in our highest risk schools.
Current law allows for the cancellation of educational loans for several categories of professionals that serve in low-income areas. Specifically, under my bill, a librarian working full-time in a public library that serves a geographic area with combined average of 30 percent of enrolled students at the poverty level or in an elementary or secondary school library that is eligible for Title I assistance would qualify for the following levels of loan cancellation based on number of years of service: 15% of Perkins in the first or second years, 20% of Perkins in the third or fourth years, 30% of Perkins in the fifth year, and $5,000 (total) of direct and indirect Stafford after five years of service.
I urge your support of this legislation. It is vital that we encourage qualified graduates with increasing debts to enter educational fields that are suffering from critical shortages. Please contact Cindy Pánuco (202-225-6235) in my office if you'd like to become a co-sponsor of this legislation.
Sincerely,
/s XAVIER BECERRA
Member of Congress
Five school library media specialists will be retiring this June. They include Carmella Cammorata, Roberta Katz, Mary Allen McAden, Betty Perry and Lorraine Quittman.
Carmella Cammarota is the librarian at Davis Middle School in Mount Vernon. Carmella has served on the School Library System Council for the past five years. Roberta Katz is the librarian at the Solomon Schechter Lower School in White Plains. Betty Perry has served for nineteen years as the elementary librarian at the William E. Cottle School in Tuckahoe. Mary Allen McAden has served the students in Fox Meadow Elementary School in Scarsdale for twenty-one years. Lorraine Quittman is the librarian at the Central Elementary School in Mamaroneck.
A celebration retirement dinner to honor their accomplishments has been scheduled
for June 3rd from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Tramonto Restaurant, 27 Saw Mill River
Road, Hawthorne, NY.
The New York State Library announced that it has renewed its contract with EBSCO to provide resources for the NOVEL database collection for a three-year period beginning September 1. Also, a new database - the EBSCO General Science Collection - has been added to the NOVEL collection at no additional cost, effective immediately.
In renewing the EBSCO contract, New York State Librarian Janet M. Welch accepted the recommendation of NECAT (NOVEL Electronic Collections Advisory Team). NECAT is the working group recently appointed by the NOVEL Steering Committee and charged with recommending NOVEL-supported electronic collections. The State Library also continues to consult with other organizations involved with the selection and group licensing of electronic collections.
The contract with EBSCO includes MasterFile Select, Topic Search, and Primary Search. EBSCO has added the General Science Collection database as part of the contract renewal agreement. Libraries are also eligible for credit or an upgrade if they already subscribe to these databases.
General Science Collection provides information on all aspects of the scientific world and offers full-text coverage for more than 60 of the most popular science publications, including Archaeology, Astronomy, Discover, National Wildlife, New Scientist, Popular Science, Science News, Scientific American, and many others. Subject areas covered include the observation, description, identification, and experimental investigation of phenomena and the application of science to industrial or commercial objectives. The database also includes Great Scientific Achievements of the Twentieth Century, a multi-volume encyclopedia from Salem Press.
To see the title list for the General Science Collection, go to www.epnet.com/TitleLists/pdf/gs.pdf.
All NOVEL database subscribers who are currently registered for the EBSCO databases will automatically receive the General Science Collection database. It will appear as one of the menu choices when users log into the EBSCO databases.
If you have questions on the EBSCO databases, please send them to nyslnovel@mail.nysed.gov.
Educational studies show that kids who enjoy leisure time reading over the summer perform at higher academic levels when school resumes than those with no summer reading. The New York State Library's 2004 statewide summer reading program NEW YORK IS READ, WHITE, AND BLUE! is just the kind of summer reading that keeps kids learning and reading while school is out of session.
Almost one million kids statewide participated in the program in summer 2003, and more are expected to participate in 2004. The Office of Elementary, Secondary, and Continuing Education (EMSC) is working in partnership with the State Library to make sure kids, teachers, and parents get involved in this important program. Both are part of the New York State Education Department (SED). Their joint effort is an important element in SED's effort to improve education and ensure that children at all levels learn at a higher level.
Fliers for parents will be available in languages other than English, including Spanish , Chinese, Korean, Urdu, Arabic, and Haitian Creole. The fliers will be accessible online via the New York State Library's web site. Special promotional fliers will also be available to visitors to the New York State Museum in Albany. Principals, classroom teachers, other school administrators and educators, and public and school librarians can watch for more information about when the fliers will be available.
Public and school librarians can find out more about how they can help raise the achievement levels of students with this high impact program at the New York State Library's web site at www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/index.html.
Schools and public and school libraries are invited to add a direct link from their web sites to the NEW YORK IS READ, WHITE, AND BLUE! web site at www.summerreadingnys.org/planners/web-link.html.
Attention: High School Library Media Specialists
Help document the importance of the library media profession to student achievement by taking the survey, entitled Library Media Specialists' Perceptions of Information Literacy Instruction and Achievement, available online at http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/databases/infolit/.
Your input will inform recommendations for improvements in information literacy instruction and resource accessibility in high school library media centers, while preparing academic librarians to address college freshmen's least developed skills. This survey may take you 15 - 20 minutes to complete. For questions specifically related to the survey, you may contact Lisa Murno at murnol@guilford.k12.ct.us or Ramona Islam at rislam@mail.fairfield.edu. Please respond by Friday, June 11. Thank you.
The Board of Regents will be filling vacancies on the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries this year. Janet M. Welch, State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries, is seeking recommendations for membership on this Council by July 9, 2004.
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.
Three new Regents Advisory Council appointees will serve five-year terms from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2009. One additional appointee will serve the remainder of a term vacated by a member during 2004, filling that term until 2007. At the end of this time, this member will then become eligible to serve a full five-year term.
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 to Janet M. Welch, State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner
for Libraries, New York State Library, 10C34 Cultural Education Center, Albany,
NY 12230; e-mail: jwelch2@mail.nysed.gov
by July 9, 2004. For more information, contact Paula Paolucci at ppaolucc@mail.nysed.gov;
phone (518) 474-5930.
The Washington Irving Children's Choice Book Award was established in 1982 to honor Westchester authors and illustrators. In order for a book to be eligible for the 2004 award, it must have been written or illustrated by a Westchester resident during 2001, 2002, or 2003. The books are nominated by a committee of public and school librarians, and then children in grades K-8 are invited to VOTE for their favorites.
School and public libraries are encouraged to display the nominated books in three different categories: author/illustrator; author; and illustrator. Children are encouraged to read all of the books in each category before voting and may vote in more than one category.
Voting must be complete by Election Day, November 2, 2004 and winners will be announced during Children's Book Week, November 15-21, 2004. For further information, please contact Judith Rovenger at 914-231-3236 or Susan Sterling at 914-231-3235.
Nominated books for the Washington Irving Childrens Choice Book Awards 2004
Author/Illustrator Category
|
Sis, Peter |
Madlenka's Dog |
|
Waldman, Neil |
They Came from the Bronx |
|
Wells, Rosemary |
Yoko's Paper Cranes |
|
Young, Ed |
What about Me? |
Author Category
|
Capucilli, Alyssa |
Mrs. McTats and her Houseful of Cats |
|
George, Jean |
Nutik, the Wolf Pup |
|
Howe, James |
Horace and Morris join the Chorus |
|
Zolotow, Charolotte |
Seasons: A Book of Poems |
Illustrator Category
|
Casilla, Robert |
First Day in Grapes |
|
Heo, Yumi |
The Snake's Tales |
|
Jeffers, Susan |
McDuff Saves the Day |
|
Pinkney, Jerry |
Going' Someplace Special |
These books by Westchester authors deserve special recognition. They require a more sophisticated reader than the books listed above.
Books of Special Note
|
Fritz, Jean |
Leonardo's Horse |
|
Sis, Peter |
Tree of Life |
|
Wells, Rosemary |
Wingwalker |
May 17, 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education which ruled that public school desegregation was unconstitutional, The City College of New York, Cohen Library has added a section regarding Brown v. Board of Education to their online CCNY Government Documents Division page at: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/library/Divisions/Government/GOVPUBS.html
There's a transcript and images of the actual decision, information on Thurgood Marshall who argued the case in front of the Supreme Court, sections on both the making and the implementation of the decision and a lesson plan created by the National Archives about the decision using government documents.
There's also a link to some Census Bureau data on the "educational attainment and school enrollment of Blacks — then and now." The statistics include School Enrollment, High School Graduates, College Graduates and Total Number of Students (Nursery School through College).
The Supreme Court decision was based on the Justices' ruling that public school segregation was a violation of the "equal protection of the laws" provision of the 14th Amendment (Section 1) and therefore unconstitutional.
The Gov Docs page also has a section called "Constitutional Amendments" and the full text of the 14th Amendment is available (as is the text of all the other Constitutional Amendments).
There are four new full-text articles dealing with information literacy available at the Academic Exchange Quarterly website.
These are:
1. A Collaborative Approach to Information Literacy in the Freshman Seminar
(http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/mo2456may.htm)
2. Enhancing Information Literacy: A Practical Exemplar (http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/mo2458may.htm)
3. Paths to Understanding (http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/mo2449may.htm)
4. Enticing Faculty to Library Instruction Workshops (http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/mo2470may.htm)
In addition, Academic Exchange Quarterly is seeking manuscripts in two areas which may be of interest to librarians.
These are:
1. Student Perceptions, Beliefs, or Attitudes (http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/ontstu.htm)
2. Community College (http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/4sucomc.htm)
Hamilton College Library is pleased to announce the availability of its digital resources website: http://library.hamilton.edu/collections/
The resources currently available are Civil War materials, largely related to the 117th N.Y.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiment, one of four from Oneida County.
The contents include the following:
* 925 enlistment papers from 1862 covering about half of the members of the
117th N.Y.S. regiment.
* A collection of 57 letters written by George W. Pearl, a private in the 117th
N.Y.S. Infantry Regiment, who parents lived in Clinton, New York, written from
1862 to 1865 while serving in the 117th, Company F.
* The journal of private John Humphrey, of Utica, New York, written from 1863
to 1865 while serving in the 117th, Company B.
* Thirteen reunion invitations issued by the 117th Regiment N.Y.S.V. Association
to attend annual reunions of the 117th between 1899 and 1918. The invitations
typically included a message from a member of the reunion committee, a list
of association officers, order of program, a mortuary report, and directions
to the venue.
* A collection of 23 colorful silk ribbons issued at annual reunions of the
117th. They usually showed the regiment name, town and date of the reunion.
* A collection of 67 letters written by Henry Welch of North Hebron, Washington
Co., N.Y., a corporal in the 123rd New York Infantry Regiment, written from
1862-1865. The letters are written to father (Mr. Luther Welch), mother (Mrs.
Phoebe Welch), his brother and sisters, and an uncle and aunt (Mr. and Mrs.
Franklin Tanner of South Granville, Washington, Co., N.Y.
* An additional 240 letters will be added by Fall 2004.
The enlistment forms are searchable by name; town, state, and country of birth;
occupation; place of enlistment; consentor; and company.
The letters have been both digitized and transcribed. They can be browsed chronologically and are keyword searchable on the full text.
The journal has also been digitized and transcribed. It can be browsed page by page. We anticipate making it keyword searchable in the future.
It is our hope that anyone interested in the Civil War will find these resources useful. We see potential applications not only for researchers, but also for high school students, genealogists, local history enthusiasts, and those with a curiosity about the Civil War, especially as depicted by local soldiers.
This work has been funded in part by grants from the Central New York Library Resources Council (CLRC) through the Regional Bibliographic Data Bases and Interlibrary Resources Sharing Program of the State of New York.
Hamilton College Library owes a special note of thanks to the children of Edward M. and Doris Alberding Turley, of Clayville, N.Y., who donated the 117th enlistment forms to the Library in 2001.
Grace-Ellen McCrann, Chief, Government Documents & Reference Divisions, The City College of New York, Cohen Library has put together a "Government Views of D-Day 1944" website at: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/library/Divisions/Government/DDay.html
For the 20th consecutive year, the New York State budget is late. As of May 4, 2004 the budget is 33 days late.
According to Glenn Blain in an article in the online edition of The Journal News, "budget delays have almost always stemmed from major disagreements between the governor and legislative leaders over how much money the state has to spend and where it should be spent. New York also has the earliest budget deadline of any state in the nation, allowing less time for leaders to agree. This year's stalemate has also been complicated by a recent court decision ordering the state to revamp its system for financing public education."
Within this scenario we must continue to advocate for strong libraries if we are to raise learning standards. Libraries play a critical role in education at all levels, in the economy and in communities statewide.
Continue to contact your state representatives urging them to:
A link to the Advocacy Toolkit to help in this process can be found on The
School Library System website under Resources or directly at http://www.crbsls.org/slsa/.
The Harrison Central School District is currently seeking two elementary Library Media and Technology Specialists to become part of an innovative new program focusing on Inquiry, Information Literacy and Technology. Please review the vacancy announcement below and if you are interested in pursuing one of the positions, respond by email to Michael Greenfield, Director of Instructional Technology, Harrison Central School District greenfieldm@harrisoncsd.org.
(2) Library Media Specialist/Technology: Teachers certified in Library Media with elementary teaching experience, strong technology integration expertise and a commitment to active, engaged learning. Position requires excellent communication and collaborative planning/time management skills.
Harrison CSD, located in Westchester County, 35 miles from NYC, is a diverse, high performing suburban school district of 3,400 students. The district offers an excellent compensation and benefits package, a strong professional learning community and has made a long-term commitment to staff development.
New York State Library's Statewide Summer Reading Program 2004
Contact your local children's librarian at the public library to arrange for students to sign up.
Studies have shown that children who continue to read during
the summer when school is not in session perform better in the fall when school
resumes. Summer reading programs make educational reading activities fun and
appealing to young people.
Public libraries across the State will be providing entertainment and recreation
related to reading all summer long with the statewide summer reading program
"2004: New York is Read, White and Blue!" with artwork by Caldecott
Award-winning children's book illustrator Ed Young.
Summer reading programs in public libraries also provide an opportunity to use
computers, search the Internet and socialize with peers.
Recommended Reading -- "Kids Choice" Brochure and Checklist
This year, for the first time, a committee of public librarians, school librarians and teachers worked together to create a booklist emphasizing the theme and message of the New York is Read, White and Blue Summer Reading Program. The booklist includes over 40 carefully selected books on a variety of topics that will serve as a guide for young readers to choose from and read at their own pace this summer. The list can also be used as a supplemental reading guide for students with required reading assignments from their schools.
Cost-effective and available to all New Yorkers
Summer reading programs are one of the best bargains around! They are offered free of charge to all children from toddlers to teens. Parents are encouraged to participate as well.
Local Involvement
Local librarians contribute ideas for the summer reading program activities manual.
Local librarians creatively adapt and use the program to meet local needs and interests.
Local libraries play a pivotal role by contributing local funds as well as involving library staff, local businesses and other organizations to implement the program.
Local library staff help children select reading materials and provide such literacy-enhancing programs as storytelling, music and puppet shows, etc.
For more information
NEW YORK IS read, white and blue! 2004 Information for Librarians, Parents and Kids
[Program site under development; resources for Planners and Parents now available.]
Additional resources
Archives of Statewide
Summer Reading Program resources from previous years
New York State Reading Association
Contact Anne Simon at the Division
of Library Development, New York State Library, Albany, NY 12230; 518-486-2194
The Statewide Summer Reading Program 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.
ABC-TV continues support for The Campaign for America's Libraries with new PSAs featuring prime time stars
ABC Television Network has produced five new public service announcements (PSAs) featuring primetime stars talking about the importance of families reading together and libraries. Part of the network's "A Better Community" series, these PSAs reflect an ongoing relationship between ABC and The Campaign for America's Libraries that began in 2001.
The PSAs feature Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon ("NYPD Blue"), Camryn Manheim ("The Practice"), Constance Marie ("George Lopez"), Sara Rue ("Less Than Perfect"), and Shoshannah Stern ("Threat Matrix"). Stern, who is deaf, presents her PSA entirely in sign language. The end of each PSA is tagged with "The Campaign for America's Libraries" and the American Library Association Web address.
ABC has sent the spots to all of its 193 affiliates, and they will be placed into national, network rotation beginning in May.
To ensure that the PSAs get airtime from affiliates, libraries across the country are encouraged to contact their local ABC television stations. A tipsheet is available online on the campaign web site at www.ala.org/@yourlibrary under "Sponsorship Programming" with ideas for reaching out and working with local television public service directors now and throughout the year, as well as contact information for local ABC stations. The PSAs are not available for use on other networks or on cable outlets.
Libraries are urged to let the ALA Public Information Office know if their
local stations are airing the spots. Send email to:
atyourlibrary@ala.org or call 800-545-2433,
ext. 4020.
"The exposure that these PSAs offer us is tremendous, and we're delighted that ABC has highlighted reading and libraries. Now it is essential that librarians across the country take full advantage of the network's generous contribution by following up with their local ABC affiliate stations to ensure that they will air in their communities," said Public Awareness Committee Chair Patricia Glass Schuman.
ABC Television Network is a supporter of The Campaign for America's Libraries, ALA's multi-year public education initiative to speak loudly and clearly about the value of libraries and librarians in the 21st Century. For more information on the campaign, visit www.ala.org/@yourlibrary.
IT'S ALIVE! @ your library® during Teen Read Week 2004.
What is big and read and is for 12 to 18-year-olds? It is the intersection of horror, suspense, black and white movies from the '50s, and even modern concepts like genetic engineering. It's programming and reading and ways to increase adolescent literacy all rolled up into a weeklong celebration known as Teen Read Week. Teens will be reading for the fun of it as public libraries and school library media centers across the country celebrate Teen Read Week, October 17 - 23, 2004. They join hundreds of other libraries, schools and bookstores that are encouraging teens to celebrate this year's theme, "IT'S ALIVE! @ your library®."
Literacy is a topic of national concern, and falling test scores and lower graduation rates among teens today are still a serious issue. However, according to the National Education Association Web site, a 2001 poll conducted by Peter D. Hart & Associates indicates that "Teenagers, age 12 to 18, rated reading, math, and writing as the first, second, and third most important things people need to learn to be successful in life. Young people put this to practice, demonstrating a healthy amount of reading." Not only do they read, but the poll also indicates that they describe the experience as "relaxing * rewarding * stimulating."
A reading habit increases reading proficiency. One of the most important ways teens acquire the habit is by watching adults they respect. Being around adults with a reading habit can counteract the latest statistics from The Nation's Report Card (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard), that indicate that in homes across America the number of different types of reading materials has decreased, and a smaller percentage of seventeen-year-olds saw adults reading in their homes.
Celebrate Teen Read Week with teens. There are many ways for teens and their librarians to discover that It's ALIVE! @ your library®:
· Join a book discussion group at the school or public
library.
· Attend a program where science fiction and modern science converge.
· Stage a mystery night at the library.
· Host an intergenerational B movies night for teens and their families.
· Read what you want to read, just for the fun of it.
Teen Read Week is the national adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association. An updated sponsors and supporting organizations list can be found at the YALSA site, http://www.ala.org/teenread.
If your organization is celebrating Teen Read Week for the first time, YALSA has produced a manual, Teen Read Week: A Manual for Participation, that includes programming and marketing ideas as well as promotional hints and information on teen reading habits. More information about the manual is available at the ALA On-line Store, at http://www.alastore.ala.org/SiteSolution.taf?_sn=catalog&_pn=product_detail&_op=1223.
NYLA will again host a poster session at the Annual Conference in Rochester. The session will be Friday, October 22, 2004 from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (you can put your poster up at 1:00 pm).
The poster sessions have been wildly successful - people were beating down the doors and the crowds kept coming until the last poster was taken down. This year's poster sessions will be held in conjunction with the annual trade show - on the trade show floor!
So put your thinking cap on and develop a proposal for a poster to tell others how you did it good, what results you got from a project, or how you improved a service. Proposals should be sent in by May 28, 2004.
You can get the instructions and the proposal form online at:
http://www.nyla.org/content/user_1/NYLA_PoserSession_Form_16-1.doc
The main level NYLA Conference page is at:
http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=70.
The New Members Roundtable (NMRT) of the New York Library Association (NYLA) offers two awards that offer cash assistance for attending the NYLA Annual Conference. Descriptions of the awards, and links to the application forms follow. Please note the deadline for both awards is July 31, 2004.
Each year, Office Dynamics Inc. offers a $250 award to one new member of the New York Library Association (NYLA), to help defray the cost of attending the NYLA Annual Conference. A new member is defined as someone who has been a NYLA member for ten years or less and who is a current member of the New Members Round Table. The OFFICE DYNAMICS/NMRT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD is intended to encourage new members to participate in both NYLA as well as its New Members Round Table (NMRT). The application for this award may be found at: http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=227. Email applications to emlasda@yahoo.com. Applications must be RECEIVED by July 31st, 2004. The winner will be announced on August 13th, 2004.
JanWay Company, in conjunction with the NYLA New Members Round Table, offers
the JanWay/NMRT Excellence Award, a $250 award to one new member of the New
York Library Association (NYLA), to help defray the cost of attending the NYLA
Annual Conference. This award is intended to encourage the participation of
NYLA New Members in the library field. A NYLA New Member is defined as someone
who has been a member of NYLA for ten years or less and is a current New Members
Round Table. This award is designed to recognize a NYLA New Member who has demonstrated
involvement and leadership in one or more of the following areas:
- Innovative programs or services which improve library services in New York
State.
- Exceptional use of state, local and/or national library resources, including
special grants.
- Significant contribution toward betterment of library and community relations.
- Leadership and activity in local, state and/or national library organizations.
Nominees must be members of NYLA/NMRT, have an MLS degree and been in professional
library work for ten years or less, having worked in a New York State Library
for at least one year. Current NMRT Executive Members are not eligible to receive
this award.The link to the application for this award may be found here: http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=542.
Email applications to emlasda@yahoo.com.
Applications must be RECEIVED by July 31st, 2004. The winner will be
announced on August 13th, 2004.
NOMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP FOR THE EMPIRE
FRIENDS DANIEL W. CASEY LIBRARY ADVOCACY AWARD
Each year the NYLA Empire Friends Roundtable honors a volunteer member of the library community or group whose efforts have contributed to the growth of libraries or Friends organizations.
To submit a nomination please provide the information requested below and mail
by JULY 17, 2004 to:
Mary O'Hara
231 Melbourne Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13224
NAME OF NOMINEE/GROUP
TITLE
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
SPONSOR'S NAME
TITLE
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
DATE
Please list your reasons for nominating this person/group. Be a specific as possible, i.e., years of service, positions held, accomplishments, successful fundraisers or campaigns. Relevant supporting materials, press releases, promotional materials, etc. may be included. NO MATERIALS WILL BE RETURNED.
Previous nominations may be resubmitted.
August 2, 2004 is the deadline for submitting nominations for the Louis E. Yavner TEACHER AND CITIZEN Recognition Awards, given annually by the Board of Regents to a teacher and a citizen who have made outstanding contributions to education about the Holocaust and other violations of human rights. The awards are given in honor of the late Regent Emeritus Louis E. Yavner.
Nomination forms and more information about both these awards can be accessed by going to http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/ssnews.html
Since EBSCO released BookSource: Nonfiction almost a year ago, the level of excitement and interest that the database has drawn from K-12 schools throughout the U.S. and Canada has been remarkable.
In addition to this, BookSource: Nonfiction has been selected as a winner of the Media & Methods' 2004 Awards Portfolio, which will be announced in the May/June issue of this popular library publication.
EBSCO has been successful in its efforts to continually enhance the database through additional full text content. Now, BookSource: Nonfiction contains full text and informative abstracts for more than 2,000 high quality reference books. As a cross-curricular database, it provides content representing a spectrum of works, including many of the complete series from top book publishers such as Capstone Press, Chelsea House, Lerner Publishing Group, Mason Crest Publishers, Millbrook Press, Inc., Morgan Reynolds and Rourke Publishing, LLC. The database includes full text articles on literature, social studies, history, and science, as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, and technology.
If you have not taken a close look at BookSource: Nonfiction, we encourage you to do so. A free trial is available for the remainder of this current school year to any interested schools (through June 2004). If you would like to take advantage of the free trial, or would like additional information, please contact EBSCO via e-mail at: information@epnet.com.
Museums, Libraries, and Archives:
Summer Institute for Knowledge Sharing
July 12-15, 2004
Boston
http://ksi.simmons.edu
After five years in Los Angeles, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College, Boston, will present an intensive four days of instruction for professionals involved in creating, sharing, and preserving electronic information in museums, libraries, archives, and other cultural heritage institutions. Invited are information specialists, registrars, librarians, archivists, curators, researchers, and educators with responsibility for digital collections. Through lectures, group discussions and exercises, participants will be immersed in the issues and decision points that institutions face in the acquisition, management, dissemination and preservation of digital collections. Special attention will be paid to the increasing convergence between museum, library, and archive practices and perspectives in the digital environment.
Experienced and knowledgeable instructors from across the country lead attendees from around the United States and abroad. In addition to course work, participants will take part in a number of events designed to complement their instruction including luncheons, receptions, and visits to sites off campus.
Early enrollment is encouraged. The deadline for early enrollment has been extended to June 1, 2004 (from May 1). Course fees: $850 (by June 1, 2004) $900 (after June 1, 2004). For registration information and more see: http://ksi.simmons.edu.
http://www.library.cornell.edu/iris/dpworkshop/
July 19-23, 2004
Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY
Cornell University Library is offering a digital preservation training program July19-23 with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The workshop targets managers at organizations that are facing the digital preservation challenge and highlights the need for the integration of organizational and technological issues to devise an appropriate approach. This limited-enrollment workshop has a registration fee of $750 per participant. Registration opens on May 1 for the July workshop. There will be one final offering of the workshop this year in November 2004.
The New York State Library is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between Thomson Gale and the New York Times for the use of the New York Times in the Gale electronic databases.
Beginning immediately, Gale's InfoTrac Custom Newspapers database has access to full-text for the New York Times back through January 1, 2000 instead of having only a one year backfile.
The January 1, 2000 date will remain static, so Custom Newspapers subscribers will have an increasingly larger backfile as time progresses.
If you have further questions, please contact the NOVEL Help Desk by calling 877-277-0250 (toll free) or 486-6012 (Capital District area), 9-4pm Monday thru Friday. An e-mail can also be sent to the Help Desk at NYSLNOVEL@mail.nysed.gov.
For more information about NOVEL and a full list of NOVEL databases, see the NOVEL home page at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/novel/database/index.html
A large number of school librarians in New York are seeking materials that will meet the Social Studies standards for the State as outlined online at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/dbq/ssindex.html. Part of this is the need to make available valuable historical records and documents for teachers to create Document-Based Questions and to encourage students to analyze and answer these questions though well-written essays.
EBSCO offers two full text databases, History Reference Center and NewspaperARCHIVE Elite, that provide information to support the New York Social Studies standards. The quantity and quality of the content included in these databases provides teachers and students with the means to access subject-specific information representing appropriately-challenging materials for individual students. History Reference Center and NewspaperARCHIVE Elite provide teachers with content for use in supporting and supplementing classroom materials and instruction, while students have information available to them for reading, learning and researching.
History Reference Center features cover-to-cover full text for more than 50 leading history periodicals including Foreign Affairs (back to 1922) and History Today (back to 1975). History Reference Center contains 58,000 historical documents; 43,000 biographies of historical figures; more than 12,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 400 full text reference books and encyclopedias from many leading general history publishers. In addition, History Reference Center includes Essential Documents in American History (includes U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, etc), Historical Speeches, Presidential Papers, Supreme Court Decisions, and much more.
NewspaperARCHIVE Elite offers coverage for hundreds of newspapers with articles dating back as far as the 1700’s. With over 12 million fully searchable pages representing over 400 cities and towns, NewspaperARCHIVE Elite allows users to research genealogy, history, culture, and any newsworthy event.
For more information, or for a free trial of History Reference Center and/or NewspaperARCHIVE Elite, please send an e-mail to: information@epnet.com. Please be sure to include your name and institution.
"New York Learns: School Libraries Raise Student Achievement" was broadcast statewide on New York State Public Television Stations on Monday, April 12, 2004 at 10:30 p.m.
The broadcast featured a visit by New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills to PS 306 in the Bronx.
School libraries raise student achievement; research and practice in New York State bear this out. This "New York Learns" program looks at the experience of PS 306 in the Bronx, a school where lagging student performance several years ago threatened to close it. Labeled a School Under Registration Review, PS 306 needed to turn around teaching and learning. They did it with a great deal of hard work on the part of students and educators alike. A strong school library has been one key to the academic success at PS 306.
If you would like to view this video please contact Janet Jamal at the School Library System office. Janet can be reached at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org. The video is not meant to be a definitive work of all the aspects of a school library media program, but rather for the general public about how a collaborative teaching and learning environment, which includes the school library media program, can raise student achievement. Commissioner Mills considers libraries valuable resources in achieving this goal.
"New York Learns" is a co-production of the New York State Education Department and WMHT-TV in the Capital District in cooperation with the New York State Public Television Stations.
The Rockefeller Institute State Fiscal News are "timely and accessible bulletins that are relevant to the finances of state and local governments. Sometimes they are brief analyses of new data, including a chart, table, or map, and other times they may simply be a bulletin alerting our audiences to newly released data." Each issue has a distinctive topical title.
These digital (PDF) publications are available on the internet from The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government at http://www.rockinst.org/publications/state_fiscal_news.html. Issues of the 'State Fiscal News' are also available from the New York State Library's digital media management system at http://purl.org/net/nysl/nysdocs/54962577 from 2001 to the present. These have been collected and cataloged in their original digital format by the New York State Library.
As a follow-up to the very successful lobby day on March 16th, with over 500 participants, Michael Borges is strongly encouraging everyone to send a letter as soon as possible to their state legislators, both Assemblymembers and Senators, urging them to restore the Governor's cuts and provide a total of $13.7 million for libraries statewide.
Legislators have said they have not received a lot of mail or faxes from their constituents on library funding. We must respond quickly before budget negotiations are concluded.
Encourage all of your co-workers, staff, trustees, students, patrons, friends, etc. to send a letter.
NYLA's advocacy page (http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=514) has a link to a draft letter and to advocacy letter guidelines for your use as well as links to both Assembly and Senate websites to find out who your state legislators are.
Tell your Senators and Representatives about the great programs and activities
taking place @ your library!
National Library Legislative Day (NLLD), cosponsored by the District of Columbia
Library Association and the American Library Association, is held each year
in May to bring librarians, library trustees, board members, and other library
friends to Washington, DC to talk with their Representatives and Senators about
issues of concern to the library community. 2003's events brought over 450 librarians
and friends of libraries from 47 states to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf
of libraries and library programs.
This year the 30th Annual National Library Legislative Day will be held on Tuesday, May 4th at Capitol Hill, Washington DC. Participants will walk the halls of Capitol Hill and bring important messages from the library community to Members of Congress. Participants are expected to schedule their own appointments. Please send list of appointments to mberman@wlsmail.org.
Contact NY coordinators for information on your state's delegation Mary Rinato Berman (914-231-3260) mberman@wlsmail.org Robert Bellinger (718-720-5766) rbellinger@nypl.org
Please find 2004 Registration Form here.
The Facts on File News Service is having a database trial which includes unlimited
usage and free remote access through May 15th. The website can be found at http://www.facts.com/master.
It will provide direct access to both their award-winning Reference Suite group
of databases and their new Facts for Learning series. The Reference Suite offers
four database modules: Facts.com, Issues and Controversies, Today's Science
and The World Almanac Reference Database. Facts for Learning has two modules:
Primary (grades 2-5) and Middle School (grades 5-8). It is easy and fun to use,
curriculum related and grade specific (in the primary module). For information
and a password, please contact Janet Jamal at the School Library System Office.
Janet can be reached at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail
jjamal@swboces.org.
The "Great New York ReadAloud" poster packets are now being mailed to the libraries of New York State from the New York State Library.
Libraries across the state are invited to be part of the fifteenth annual "Great New York ReadAloud" on Wednesday, April 21, 2004. The program is one of the largest one-day reading events in the nation and takes place during National Library Week and School Library Media Month. The theme this year is "Read Around The World @ Your Library."
The New York State Library, part of the State Education Department, coordinates the "Great New York ReadAloud."
Libraries and schools throughout New York State are invited to sponsor ReadAlouds by inviting local celebrities, public officials, and other community leaders to read and talk with young people about the joy of reading and the impact it had on their lives. The New York State Library, the New York Library Association, the New York State Association of Library Boards and 11 other organizations co-sponsor the annual event.
Libraries and schools are invited to schedule their own ReadAloud on April 21 or any day during School Library Media Month (April) or National Library Week (April 18 through 24.)
For information on how your library or school can sponsor a ReadAloud event contact: The New York State Library at tallen@mail.nysed.gov, online or call Tiffany H. Allen, Statewide ReadAloud coordinator at the New York State Library, at 518/474-6971.
The "Great New York ReadAloud" is sponsored by the New York Alliance for Arts in Education; National Education Association of New York; New York Library Association; New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Libraries and Educational Technology; New York State Association of Library Boards; New York State Congress of Parents and Teachers; New York State Education Department; New York State Library Assistants' Association; New York State Reading Association; New York State School Boards Association; New York State Senate Subcommittee on Libraries; New York State United Teachers; United University Professions.
Posters for the "Great New York ReadAloud" are provided in English, Spanish and Chinese by ProQuest Company of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a Corporate Sponsor of the "Great New York ReadAloud."
One of the nation's leading research libraries, the New York State Library has served New Yorkers, State government and researchers from throughout the United States for 183 years. It is the largest state library in the nation and the only state library to qualify for membership in the Association of Research Libraries. The Library's research collection of more than 19 million items includes major holdings in law, medicine, the social sciences, education, American and New York State history and culture, the pure sciences and technology. The New York State Library provides leadership and support to some 7,000 libraries and library systems throughout the state, maintains a Talking Book and Braille Library that serves more than 39,000 New Yorkers, and offers 24-hour access to a powerful online catalog of more than 2 million research items through the EXCELSIOR System ( http://www.nysl.nysed.gov ). The New York State Library is located in the Cultural Education Center of the Empire State Plaza in Albany. For more information call (518) 474-5355.
Theme
The New York State Library's 2004 Statewide Summer Reading program theme is
New York Is Read, White And Blue! By including activities built around
red, white & blue and New York-related ideas, it can be adapted to local-interest
resources. (See the poster at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/index.html
and see how many New York State symbols you recognize!) While the emphasis during
the school year is on direct reading instruction, the 2004 summer reading program
will underscore the value of reading as a leisure activity to increase reading
comprehension.
The School/Public Library Partnership
School and public librarians know that unstructured reading for pleasure using
materials that children select themselves is one of the most powerful tools
to increase reading comprehension, speed and vocabulary, and your help is needed
in sharing this message with parents, students and school administrators. (For
more information on Summer Reading program research, visit: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/research.htm
)
School Library Media Specialists and Youth Services Librarians Create
Summer Reading Brochure
This year, a committee made up of school library media specialists, youth services
public librarians and a reading teacher has teamed up to create a Summer Reading
brochure and booklist. The brochure will include a list of enjoyable, entertaining
books on topics related to the New York State theme so children can make their
own selections and read at their own pace. The list will provide guidance to
kids when they visit their local public library, and can also serve as a supplemental
list for those children with required reading assignments from their schools.
Public librarians will be encouraged to take these brochures to the schools when they visit schools in June. There is funding for a limited supply of brochures and requests will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you could use brochures in your school, please send an e-mail message with the quantity you can use to Suzanne Hulin at: shulin@mail.nysed.gov by April 16th.
Promotional Labels for Schools
Local public libraries will be encouraged to provide their schools with brightly
colored labels for the report card envelopes or other end-of-year mailings as
a direct way to reach parents. Suggested text for the labels will be: "Keep
Your Kids Reading All Summer For Better Grades in the Fall. Sign Up for Free
Summer Reading Programs at Your Local Library". PTA members, students
and/or library volunteers could be recruited to affix the stickers to the outer
envelopes of the mailing. If you're interested in using this promotional method,
please contact your local public librarian.
Closing the Gap
Library summer reading programs reach across differences of family economic
level and ethnic background to make a difference in the learning levels of all
children. Children who participate in public library summer reading programs
don't suffer the learning losses experienced by youngsters who have no access
to reading programs. These learning losses can add up year-by-year and are a
major reason why the academic gap between children from low-and high-income
families grows.
Studies across the nation prove that kids who participate in library programs during the summer have an improved reading level in the fall when school resumes. When libraries and schools work together to get the word out to parents and students, the effort pays off in a big way in terms of achievement and developing the reading habit.
The Statewide Summer Reading Program is an important element in the State Education Department's challenge to make education in New York State better and ensure that all children learn at higher levels. Public librarians can tailor summer reading programs to best serve your schools. For more information, please contact your local public librarian(s).
State Library/EMSC Partnership
The New York State Library and the Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary,
and Continuing Education worked in partnership this past summer to make sure
kids and parents got involved in the 2003 State Library's statewide summer reading
program. Responding to a challenge from Commissioner Mills to keep kids reading
and learning through July and August, the State Library, local public libraries
and EMSC launched a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of summer
reading to raise student achievement. As a result, nearly one million youngsters
participated in the free reading programs at local public libraries throughout
the State. The New York State Library and the Office of Elementary, Middle,
Secondary, and Continuing Education will be teaming up again in 2004 to distribute
information about the summer reading program to parents including providing
bilingual publicity materials for parents.
For More Information
The programming manual and web links for planners and parents are available
at: http://www.summerreadingnys.org/.
Links with activities for children and teens will be added later this spring.
Ideas? Suggestions? Comments? Questions?
Please contact Anne Simon at: asimon@mail.nysed.gov
or call her at 518-486-2194.
Announcing the 2004 Inform the World Library Skills Exchange
If you love books and reading, consider spending the summer of 2004 helping communities gain access to the information they need to build a better future.
The Inform the World (ITW) Library Skills Exchange is a 4-week hands-on volunteer program primarily for librarians, library science students and retired professionals (we do also accept some non-librarians). The program provides structured training and assistance to South African librarians and others with little or no formal librarian training, while offering volunteers the opportunity to use their skills and experience the vibrant culture of rural South African communities.
The program is called a "skills exchange" because African and international librarians bring their expertise together to create unique answers to the information needs of rural African communities. Sometimes the solutions are based on international standards, like using a recognized method for classifying books. Other times, they are unique adaptations to local conditions, like delivering books by donkey cart or making paper from elephant dung. Most often, each volunteer and African librarian contributes to creating a library as special as the community it serves.
The programs are 4 weeks; there are two groups going to different locations:
The World Library Partnership (WLP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building global understanding by promoting literacy, learning and access to information. WLP believes that libraries empower individuals and enrich communities and we advocate for sustainable, community-based libraries in developing areas of the world. Visit their website at http://worldlibraries.org for more information.
Applications are welcome from interested volunteers around the world. For more information and to apply, please see http://www.worldlibraries.org/itw/southafrica/saprogram.shtml
ITW 2000 volunteer Debbie Kilcup put it best when she said; "We left not only a very functional and appealing facility behind for the eager learners but also a piece of our hearts. We are different for the experience."
"I never imagined I'd find such a perfect fit to combine my interest in volunteering, traveling in developing countries, cross-cultural understanding and also make use of my skills as a librarian" said Kara Malenfant (ITW 2001)
"I look in the library and I like the view. We had a room full of books, but we did not have a real library. We are proud to say that since Barbara came to our school, learners are using the library. She helped us become a library." - Mr. B.G. Sibisi, Assistant Principal of Zenzeleni High School.
Libraries, schools, and individuals that would like to celebrate the freedom to read may freely save the 2004 Banned Books Week image for their Web sites; please use the link http://www.ala.org/bbooks/ and the ALT message [2004 BBW logo Elect to Read a Banned Book; Link to the ALA's Banned Books Week page; http://www.ala.org/bbooks/].
The Westchester Library Association (WLA) is making available three scholarships to support library services in Westchester to members at the 67th Annual WLA Conference on Friday, May 14, 2004. All awards are disbursed upon submission of educational cost receipts. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 29, 2004.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, candidates must be: 1) a Westchester Library Association member AND 2) work at a Westchester County Library or 3) be a Westchester County resident. Previous WLA scholarship winners are eligible to apply for a scholarship in a different category if they meet the requirements.
Awards:
1) Professionsl Category
One award up to $500.00 to be granted to a graduate student towards the completion
of an MLS professional library degree program.
2) Support Staff Category
One award up to $500.00 to be granted to a library support staff member towards
the completion of a degree program or for continuing education course(s).
3) Second Language Category (Spanish)
One award up to $500.00 to be granted to a professional librarian for the taking
of a Spanish language course in order to better serve the growing Hispanic community
in Westchester County.
Application guidlines can be found at http://www.wliba.org/application_guidelines_for_2004.html and the application can be found at http://www.wliba.org/scholarship%20application%202004.html. Applications can also be obtained by contacting by mail: Dulce M. Juarbe, Chair, WLA Scholarship Committee, c/o Mount Vernon Public Library, 28 South First Ave., Mt. Vernon, NY 10550; phone: (914) 668-1840 ext. 22, or e-mail: dulcej@springmail.com.
The Intellectual Freedom Committee of NYLA is calling for nominations for the 20th annual NYLA/ProQuest Intellectual Freedom Award. Nominees can be individuals or groups in New York State who have met and resisted attempts at censorship or have otherwise furthered the cause of intellectual freedom.
Those submitting names for consideration for this award should provide the following information about the nominee:
Please note that members of NYLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee are not eligible for this award.
The award, consisting of a plaque and a $500 check from ProQuest, will be presented at the NYLA Conference in Rochester on October 22, 2004.
Forms can be obtained from the NYLA office or downloaded from NYLA's web site http://www.nyla.org and mailed by June 15, 2004 to:
Ellen Rubin
29 Queen Anne Lane
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
845-221-0249
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has grants available for the preservation of materials in libraries. The application deadline is May 14, 2004. Grant amounts available go up to $5,000. An application is available on their website: www.neh.gov or you can call (202) 606-8570.
The deadline for submitting applications for the 2004 Shubert Library Excellence Award is May 3, 2004. The winner of the 2004 award will receive $1,000 funded by EBSCO Information Services. All libraries, library systems and library consortia in New York State are eligible to apply. Below is additional information and application guidleines.
Dr. Louis A. Ciota, Chair of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries, announced that applications are available for the Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award which was established to recognize the achievements of small, medium and large libraries and library consortia in New York State. In 2004, this Award will be co-sponsored by the EBSCO Information Services and funded by that organization in the amount of $1,000.
Members of the 2004 Award Committee are: Dr. Karen Patricia Smith (Chair); Dr. Louis Ciota and Mr. Irving Toliver. The Award, first established in 1994, will honor a library or library consortium that has taken significant steps within the past 2 years to improve the quality of library service to its users.
In 2002, the Council recognized the Albany Public Library for creating the "First Stop/The Next Step" project. The project, which was supported with Federal LSTA funds, demonstrates a unique approach to addressing the needs of those in the community who are in the process of making the transition from incarceration to employment.
Previous applicants are encouraged to re-apply. Previous Award winners may re-apply 3 years after receiving the Award. Projects nominated for the Award should document measurable progress in identifying user needs, taking steps to meet those needs and evaluating the results.
Please visit the web site http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/adviscns/rac/index.html for a copy of the application, instructions and examples of past winning applications. Please return 4 copies of completed applications and all attachments to the address listed below by May 3, 2004.
You may request copies of the application, instructions and additional information from:
Patty Case
Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award
New York State Library
10D45 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Phone: 518/474-1195; FAX: 518/486-2152; e-mail: pcase@mail.nysed.gov
Target has announced a new grants program, donating between $1,000 and $3,000 to programs in their market communities. Their funding interests are in three areas: early childhood reading (birth to third grade), the arts and family violence prevention. They will accept grant applications between March 1 and May 31, 2004. Applications will be reviewed as they are received; therefore, you are encouraged to apply early. All funding decisions will be communicated no later than September 30, 2004.
For more information and to find the grant application guidelines, please go to: http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/local_giving.jhtml.
Calling all future youth services librarians! It is time to apply for the Ann Gibson Scholarship. This scholarship is a $1,000 award given annually by the Youth Services Section to honor the memory of Ann Gibson, a storyteller, librarian, and teacher who touched the lives of many. If you are currently enrolled in an MLS program, have completed at least 18 credit hours, and are directing your studies toward youth services in a public or school library, don't delay! There is money available to assist you!
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to a person who has chosen to pursue graduate studies that will lead to New York State certification as a youth specialist in a public library or school library media center.
Deadline: May 31, 2004
Notification: by September 1, 2004
Amount: $1,000
Qualifications:
Criteria to Judge Recipient:
Narrative Statement:
Please present a brief statement that cites relevant experience you have had in youth services and your philosophy and/or future goals in terms of youth services librarianship.
Send completed application form, two supporting statements, transcripts, narrative statement, and a photocopy of your current NYLA membership card to:
Cathy Henderson
Seymour Library
161 East Ave.
Brockport, NY 14420
585-637-1050
Fax 585-637-1051
cathyh@frontiernet.net
Shannon Barnett of West Babylon was the state winner for grades 4-6 in this year's New York Letters About Literature Contest for her letter to the Caroline B. Cooney, author of Freeze Tag. Cedilla Sachar of Bedford took first place in grades 7-8 for her letter about Gunter Grässe's Tin Drum. The winner for grades 9-12 was Ana Maria Barbas of New City who wrote to Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie.
Letters About Literature is a reading and writing promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target Stores with additional funding provided by educational publisher, Weekly Reader Corporation.
To enter, young readers write a personal letter to an author explaining how his or her work changed their view of the world or themselves. Readers can select authors from any genre-fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. The program has three competition levels: upper elementary (grades 4-6), middle school (7-8), and secondary (9-12). The contest theme encourages young readers to explore their personal responses to a book and then to express that response in a creative, original way.
Children may enter as individuals, as part of school classes, and through their local libraries. Forms for the 2005 contest are available from the New York Center for the Book, Palmer School of Library and Information Science, Long Island University, c/o Bobst Library NYU, 70 Washington Sq. So., New York, NY 10012 (http://www.newyorkbooks.org, email: deirdre.stam@liu.edu, tel. 212-998-2681).
In New York, 1050 children submitted letters to the contest in 2004. Each state winner received a cash prize of $100 plus a $50 gift card to Target Stores. Winning letters from the State contest will be forwarded to the national Letters About Literature competition.
Pathfinder, the online catalog of the Research Library of the New York State Historical Association and The Farmers' Museum, is now available on the web at: http://www.nysha.org/library/.
Named after the principal character in James Fenimore Cooper's novel of the same name, Pathfinder will enable scholars, teachers, students, genealogists, and other researchers to access the Library's catalog via the Internet twenty-four hours a day. Since 1899 the Research Library has developed important collections of primary and secondary source materials in agricultural history, American art and architectural history, genealogy, museum studies, Native American art and culture, and New York State history. The Library's Special Collections Department has a wide variety of materials including rare books, manuscripts, archival collections, maps, broadsides, and ephemera. More information on the library's collections, online resources, and exhibitions is available on our website. Additional records will be added to Pathfinder over the next couple of years as funding for this project becomes available.
For more information about this project, please contact the Research Library staff at 607-547-1470 or send email to library@nysha.org.
The New York State Historical Association is a non-profit, private educational institution which was founded in 1899 in Caldwell (Lake George). The Association moved its headquarters to Ticonderoga in 1926 and to Cooperstown in 1938. During the past 100 years, the Association has preserved tens of thousands of documents, works of art, photographs, and artifacts. The Association operates Fenimore Art Museum and a Research Library in Cooperstown and sponsors statewide educational programming. For information, write or call: NYSHA, PO Box 800, Cooperstown, NY, 13326; (607) 547-1400. The website address is http://www.nysha.org.
The Department of Education has awarded a $34.6 million contract to build a new database system for ERIC, the world's largest education database. ERIC dates back to 1966 and provides access to educational content for educators, researchers and the general public. The new system, to be built by Computer Sciences Corporation of Rockville, Md., will be designed to provide fast, direct online access to ERIC's more than one million bibliographic records. Users will be able to search on a single Web site for journal articles; abstracts of documents; and, where possible, the full text of articles. The site will also include links to commercial sites where users can purchase full texts.
From Information Today, 29 March 2004 http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/wnd040329.shtml
Two more sections of the ALA Privacy Tool Kit have been mounted.
Privacy Tool Kit http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/iftoolkits/toolkitsprivacy/privacy.htm
Introduction http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/iftoolkits/toolkitsprivacy/introduction/introduction.htm
Procedures http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/iftoolkits/toolkitsprivacy/privacyprocedures/procedures.htm
Until the section on Privacy Policy (under construction) is mounted, you may
visit
Intellectual Freedom Statements and Policies http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/statementspolicies.htm#privacy
and
ALA Privacy Policies and Statements http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/issuesrelatedlinks/alaprivacypolicies.htm
NCES has released a new publication. The Status of Public and Private School Library Media Centers in the United States: 1999-2000 summarizes findings from the public and private School Library Media Center Questionnaires, a component of the 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). Topics addressed in this report are: characteristics of the library media center, staff characteristics, library expenditures, collection holdings, and library policies.
To download, view and print the report as a pdf file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2004313
On Wednesday, March 17th there will be a meeting/workshop for all secondary school librarians at The Library at SUNY Purchase beginning at 2:00 P.M. Rebecca Albrecht, Coordinator of Educational Programs at the Purchase College Library and School Library System Council member, will discuss the challenges facing first year students as they navigate the maze of electronic and print resources available in a college library. School library media specialists will have an opportunity to discuss the varied types of bibliographic instruction occurring in their secondary schools. A tour of the SUNY Purchase library and its resources are also part of the program.
Please contact Janet Jamal at the School Library System office at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org regarding your attendance.
Directions to Purchase College, SUNY, can be found at http://www.purchase.edu/admissions/adm_vis_directions.asp.
In order for the Southern Westchester BOCES Union Catalog to be an important resource for System participants, it must reflect the current holdings of our school libraries. After much discussion on the options for achieving this goal, it has been decided to mount a new Union Catalog using Open Source Software. As a result of this project, point-to-point interlibrary loan requests will be handled electronically. This feature will allow school librarians greater access to a wide variety of resources while decreasing the time spent in securing the materials. The assistance of all school library media specialists is needed to accomplish this task.
Each automated school library has been requested to forward its MARC records
either (a) electronically via ftp or (b) e-mail as an attachment. Information
has been distributed to all participants in the Southern Westchester BOCES School
Library System. The School Library System has set March 15, 2004 as the deadline
for the completion of this phase of the project.
For libraries that are not yet automated, information is also being collected
on the status of their collections. This information will help in future planning
for the School Library System.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Judy Robinson either by telephone, 345-8500, ext. 158 or e-mail, jrobinson@swboces.org.
Our goal is to have responses from every library within the School Library
System. The outcome will benefit all our members.
The Westchester Library Association will again sponsor its annual bus trip to Albany on Tuesday, March 16th in support of the New York Library Association's (NYLA) Ledge Day. The bus will leave the Marriott Hotel, Tarrytown promptly at 8:00 A.M and return at approximately 5:30 P.M. The cost for the trip is $15.00.
Information and a registration form can be found on the WLA website, http://www.wliba.org. For additional information about the trip contact Van Kozelka, at the Katonah Village Library, (914)232-3508.
The Library Legislative Day event this year is a LIBRARY RAVE. Beginning at 11:00 A.M. the library community is invited to come together at the Empire State Convention Center in Meeting Room 6 on the Concourse level. Legislators have been invited to meet with various delegations from across the State. Key legislative members, including, Speaker Silver, Senator Bruno, Assembly member Sandy Galef and Senator Farley will address the group at 11:30 A.M. This is our opportunity to impress them with the number of library supporters who have traveled to Albany to RAVE about libraries.
Why should I travel to Albany to talk with my legislators about library issues?
· Libraries need you to speak out for them.
· Libraries need more state money.
· Legislators need to learn what libraries do for the citizens of New
York State especially K - 12 students.
Who will gain?
· All New York libraries and citizens.
· All libraries and systems which receive direct state aid.
· Many libraries and systems which receive indirect state aid through
the cooperative services and shared programs from their library system.
· Legislators who need to understand how libraries can help them.
How do I do this?
· Call you legislators' offices, either at home or
in Albany. (This includes both Senate and Assembly representatives)
· Make an appointment to speak to them directly.
· Tell him/her how important your library is to the students it serves.
· Tell him/her that increased funding for libraries is essential and
critical if our students are to be informed and literate citizens of the 21st
century.
This is an opportunity to speak out for additional funding for aid for library systems and for the electronic resources provided through NOVEL. Be part of the solution.
(Information from the NYLA web site http://www.nyla.org)
Library supporters from across New York State are coming together to urge the state legislature to restore the $4.4 million that would be lost under the executive budget's proposed 5 percent reduction in state aid to libraries. Results of this decrease in state aid include:
· State funding for libraries would be pushed back
to 1997 levels.
· The proposed cut is $4.4 million, or 5% from $89 million to $8.4 million.
· New York's libraries will lose $450,000 in federal support as the cut
in State funds generates a comparable 5% cut in Federal Library Services and
Technology Act funds.
· Library users at 4,600 libraries statewide will lose access to NOVEL,
New York's first electronic virtual library, as state cuts generate cuts to
federal funds. NOVEL levels the information playing field by providing easy
and fast access to state of the art information on education, health, business
and research - regardless of income level, community resources, geographical
locations or other barriers.
Library use has surged 20% statewide, yet State funding lags behind
· State funding for libraries and library systems has
stagnated.
· Libraries' buying power has plummeted as costs for materials have soared.
· Even with restoration of these proposed reductions, New York's libraries
are still not receiving the full State funding provided for in the law ($91.3
million).
· Current State funding for libraries represents less than one-tenth
of one percent of the entire state budget.
Check out the School Library Systems Association Advocacy Tool Kit on our web
site http://www2.lhric.org/libsys/recommended/recommended_websites.html
and become involved. Your message to your legislators: restore state aid
to libraries and support New Century Libraries - a $107 million proposal from
the Board of Regents to provide ongoing, improved funding for libraries of all
types in communities across New York State - so that your students will have
the library services and support they need in the 21st century.
Annually, after the release by the Governor of the Executive Budget, the Senate Finance Committee issues the 'Staff Analysis of the SFY ... Executive Budget.' This publication was previously know as the 'Executive Budget Fiscal Overview.' "It is intended to assist the members of the Finance Committee and the Senate as a whole, in their deliberations."
Senate documents are available online from the Senate internet site http://www.senate.state.ny.us
under the "Senate Reports" link. Since 1996, the New York State Library
has produced digital scanned copies of NYS paper documents as an alternative
to microfiche. The 'Staff Analysis' is available from the New York State Library's
digital media management system at http://purl.org/net/nysl/nysdocs/38982917,
the most recent three editions fully key-word searchable.
While applications are welcome for all teachers of subjects of the Regents exams, there is a very urgent need for teachers of German, Hebrew, Italian and Latin for the June administration of Comprehensive Regents Exams in these subjects.
A review committee should consist of three (the minimum) to five teachers with three alternates who can step in if, at the last minute, a selected teacher cannot participate. So, a pool of at least 10-15 teachers to select from is needed. More would be better.
Ideally these teachers should be certified in the target language and have been teaching in the target language in the classroom for the last three years. Another requirement is that the teacher not have worked as a consultant in the Office of State Assessment in the last three years.
The listed deadline for accepting applications is March 15, but applications will continue to be accepted through March 31st. It is anticipated that committees will convene between April 12 and May 17.
Teachers receive a honorarium of $150 for the day and their travel costs are reimbursed.
Teachers need only apply once. If an applicant has not been selected as a teacher for a committee, their application remains in the active pool for selection for a future review.
Applications can be found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/Important%20Notices/Teacher%20Review%20Committee%20Application.htm. Further information regarding the qualifications for the Teacher Review Committees can be found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/Important%20Notices/High%20School%20Teachers%20Needed-web%20notice-.htm.
The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award recognizes achievements by New York State libraries and library consortia of all sizes and types. Named after Joseph F. Shubert, former State Librarian, the Award is given to individual libraries and to library consortia to recognize achievements that improve the quality of library service to their users. The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award recognizes that attainment of excellence often happens in small steps; is a process, not a final product; and focuses on meeting user needs. Yet, the result of the process assures a comprehensive approach to excellence in libraries and information services.
This year's Award to an individual library or library consortia will include a prize of $1,000 supplied by EBSCO Information Services, this year's co-sponsor for the honor. Other notable projects will also be recognized and honored for their achievements.
For information on previous winners and detailed information on the award as well as the application form, please visit the website at: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/adviscns/rac/award/. Applications must be postmarked by May 3, 2004.
Target has announced a new grants program, donating between $1,000 and $3,000 to programs in their market communities. Their funding interests are in three areas: early childhood reading (birth to third grade), the arts and family violence prevention. They will accept grant applications between March 1 and May 31, 2004. Applications will be reviewed as they are received; therefore, you are encouraged to apply early. All funding decisions will be communicated no later than September 30, 2004.
For more information and to find the grant application guidelines, please go to: http://target.com/target_group/community_giving/local_giving.jhtml.
April is the deadline to "Get on Board and Read"
Now is the time to remind teens that they only have until April 24 to submit an entry in the "Get on Board and Read @ your library" program for their chance to win an opportunity to meet pro skateboarder Tony Hawk.
To enter, teens between the ages of 12-18 select a book from the library and create an entry about the message of the book and why it's meaningful to them. Entries may be submitted in a written essay or a creative entry consisting of a poem, painting or video, and may be created individually or as a team. Each teen or team must have their librarian sponsor them in the contest by having the librarian fill out a sponsor form.
More teen entries can win librarians special incentives, too. Incentives include 20 HERSHEY'S Milk coupons for librarians who submit at least 5 teen entries; 50 t-shirts for those who submit 15 to 24 entries; and an autographed poster of Tony Hawk as well as t-shirts for 25 or more entries. Librarians who also submit a report on how they promoted the program, along with sample publicity materials and at least five teen entries, will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift bookstore gift certificate.
One of the most effective ways to jump-start the program is to collaborate with teachers in your school or at schools in your area. Let them know about the program. Provide flyers or posters for them to hang in their classrooms. Suggest that they talk about the program in class and even make it a class assignment.
All of the information about the program, including free online tools to help promote it, are available on the "Get on Board and Read @ your library" website at http://www.hersheysmilk.com/getonboard.
Are you on board? ALA would love to hear how you've been promoting the program! Send an e-mail to atyourlibrary@ala.org.
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. are proud to announce a contest to support the most creative public and school library programs which raise awareness and interest in African American children’s literature.
Using titles from Wiley’s Black Books Galore! Guide to Great African American Children’s Books, the winning entries will reflect original creative programming that increases community involvement and sparks the interest of children, parents, caregivers, and teachers in African American life and culture. Examples of programs may include: storytime, parent/teacher workshop, intergenerational event, or other innovative programs.
Additional information can be found at the website: http://www.blackbooksgalore.com/contest_03.html
For Libraries:
Outstanding Library Advocates & Service Grants
For NonProfits:
American NonProfit Technology Alliance Grants
Cisco Academy Grants
CTCNET Youth Vision Grants
Digital Partners
Harbinger Partners
Handspring
NTIA Technology Opportunities Program Grants
For Schools:
AMD Grants
American Honda Grants
DirectTV Goes to School Program
Dell TechKnow Program
Educational Partnerships
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Horace Mann Teacher Grants
NCTM Future Teachers
Articles:
"New Journals Explore New Approaches to Technology"
For more information visit:
http://www.technologygrantnews.com/network-funding-subscribe.html
or contact us at:
service@technologygrantnews.com
Grant Indexes
Ten (10) new Grant Indexes research different sectors:
Grants for Cities
Corporate Grants
Educational Technology Grants
Federal Grants
Higher Education Grants
K-12 Grants
Library & Museum Grants
Non Profit Grants
Science Education Grants
Vocational Education Grants
For more information visit:
http://www.technologygrantnews.com/grant-money-index-type.html
The generic e-mail address for the NOVEL Help Desk is: nyslnovel@mail.nysed.gov
For a sixty day free trial of the following package of three on-line databases from Marshall Cavendish: