2002 2003
[ News Archive before September 2002] [sept] [oct/nov] [dec/jan] [dec/jan] [feb] [mar] [apr] [may] [june]
Last updated June 9, 2003
There's a new bibliography of online resources about SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) on the City College website. The site is called "Government Views of SARS" and can be found at: http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/library/Divisions/Government/SARS.html
This site concentrates on primary resource Government documents and information about SARS both from the United States and from international resources.
Topics covered include Blood Supply, Case Definitions, Cases Reported, Countries & Governments, General Background, Healthcare Facilities, Healthcare Personnel, Laboratories, Legal Resources, Presidential Communications, Prevention & Precautions, Public Health Campaigns, Quarantine, Travel Advisories, Travel & Transport, the Virus and the World Health Organization.
Grace-Ellen McCrann, Chief, Government Documents Division, The City College of New York, plans to update it frequently.
The NOVEL Help Desk has noticed that not all libraries listing the NOVEL databases on their websites are giving the proper funding credit. NOVEL databases are not funded by state money, but are currently funded by federal funds through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Proper credit should be indicated when using LSTA funds.
The Help Desk is suggesting the following wording (or something close to it) be used: NOVEL is a statewide virtual library provided free to the public by the New York State Library. It is currently a pilot project funded through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant to the NY State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Thanks to all who participated in the LMC group purchase. This bulk purchase of LMC - Library Media Connection that is a new publication in which The Linworth Company has combined the Book Report and Library Talk into one publication edited by Carol Simpson. The first issue will be August/September. There will be seven issues per year.
There are 37 participants in this group purchase across the state. The price has been confirmed at $49 per subscription (down from the cover price of $69). It's not too late - if anyone else wants in at the group subscription price - just let us know before the purchase order is sent out on July 1. Periodicals will be shipped directly to the school. The billing will go through the School Library System.
Please contact Janet Jamal by June 15, 2003 if you would like to participate
in this purchase. Janet can be reached at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122;
(fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
AASL is looking for good ideas and programs from throughout the country which will be highlighted in the school campaign of the @your library promotion. We have some great school library media programs here in our region. Submit your program for this upcoming resource.
AASL and the ALA Public Information Office are developing an @ your library®
Toolkit to help school library media specialists better market their school
library media programs. Since many of you have had success, they would like
to invite your good ideas, tips and insights,
including outreach strategies to students, teachers, parents and principals/administrators,
collaboration, fundraising, advocacy, and involvement with Friends groups. They're
especially seeking low-cost ideas and how you have used ALA's @ your library
brand to promote your library.
Send your ideas directly to Linda Wallace, editor, @ your library Toolkit, at lkwallace@mindspring.com. Please include your name, position, school or organization and contact information (now and over the summer).
The toolkit will be published this fall -- we'll let you know when it's available. Many thanks in advance for your help.
Sandy Schuckett, California School Library Association Liaison to California Teacher's Association is in the process of writing a book called You Have the Power: Becoming a Successful Political Advocate for School Libraries. Ms. Schuckett is interested in hearing "success stories" from colleagues around the country who have used political advocacy to gain state or local support for materials or staffing for school libraries.
Since her own experience is obviously basically with California (and national) issues, Ms. Schuckett would like to know what activities have gone on in other states. She would like to know what you did, and how you did it, and of course, if it's used in the book you will receive full mention and credit. Please respond to Sandy Schuckett specifically at aq061@lafn.org. Thanks to all in advance for any information you provide!
The Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL), begun in the Fall of 2002, is a new center at Rutgers that provides a forum for scholars and librarians across the world to have a more coordinated, collaborative and cross-cultural approach to research on the impact of school libraries on learning. CISSL focuses on evidence of the impact of school libraries on student learning. The main objective of CISSL is to address the impact of school libraries on student learning through collaborative research and innovative practice. To accomplish this goal CISSL is organized around four initiatives each addressing a critical need in school librarianship: Research, Future Leadership, Professional Education, and Publication. For further information about this new Center you can check out their website at http://www.cissl.scils.rutgers.edu
John Hernandez, President of the New York Library Association Government Information Roundtable (NYLA/GIRT), on May 8, 2003 announced the winners of the 2002 New York State Notable Documents Awards.
This year's awards went to:
Club Drugs: Fighting to Stop the Spread of Designer Drugs. New York State Senate Committee on Investigations, Taxation and Government Operations. 2001.
Managing E-Mail Effectively. New York State Archives. 2002.
Women in the Courts: A Work in Progress; 15 Years After the Report of the New York Task Force on Women in the Courts.
The awards are presented for outstanding documents produced by New York State government agencies or for a notable agency effort. Documents eligible for consideration have been distributed to libraries through the New York State Document Depository Program. "Public access to State government information supports the basic right of the citizens of New York State to be informed about the actions of their government," said Hernandez. "By presenting an annual award to agencies who have produced exceptional documents distributed through the New York State Document Depository Program, we are not only honoring their effort, but encouraging other agencies to participate in the Depository Program."
The Daniel W. Casey Library Advocacy Award is given annually at the NYLA Conference by the Empire Friends Roundtable to honor a volunteer member of the library community or a group whose effors have contributed to the growth of libraries or Friends organizations.
*********************
To nominate an individual or group submit the following:
NAME OF PERSON/GROUP____________________________________
TITLE____________________________________________________
ADDRESS__________________________________________________
TELEPHONE________________________________________________
SPONSOR'S NAME___________________________________________
ADDRESS__________________________________________________
TELEPHONE__________________DATE__________________________
On a separate sheet, please list your reasons for nominating this person/group. (Be as 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.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JULY 19, 2003
TO: Mary O'Hara
231 Melbourne Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13224
Past Advocacy Award Winners:
Robert J. Trudell, Michael Bragman, Daniel Casey, Friends of the Utica Public
Library, Joan Silverstein, Friends of Middletown Thrall Library, Friends of
Oswego Library, Friends of the Shenendehowa Public Library, Harold Wusterbarth
and Nicholas J. Pirro.
"Classroom Lending Library Project"
From May through June, 2003 -- or as long as supplies last -- the Hello Friend/Ennis
William Cosby Foundation will be giving away 800 classroom libraries. The libraries
are intended to reach under resourced, mainstream, public school classrooms
serving children who do not have adequate reading at home. The Foundation is
currently taking applications from second grade teachers. The 2nd grade classroom
lending libraries include between 60 and 80 new fiction and non-fiction books,
primarily soft cover, with multiple copies of some titles. The Foundation will
send the boxed libraries to any mainstream 2nd grade public school classroom
teacher in the U. S. who can document significant need and who can receive mail
delivered by the U.S. Post Office (must have a five code zip code). Because
the number of classroom libraries is limited, applications will be evaluated
on the basis of need, plans for use, and date of application. http://www.hellofriend.org
"Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program"
The Jordan Fundamentals Grants are awarded to teachers or paraprofessionals
who work with students in grades 6-12 in a U.S. public school who also demonstrate
instructional creativity and exemplify high learning expectations for economically
disadvantaged students. Application deadline: June 15, 2003. http://www.nike.com/nikebiz/nikebiz.jhtml?page=26&item=jordan
"The Braitmayer Foundation"
The Braitmayer Foundation supports organizations and programs that enhance the
education of K-12 students through curricular and school reform initiatives,
professional development for teachers, and local community efforts. Normally
the grants are used as seed money, challenge grants, or to match other grants
to the recipient organization. Proposals are due by June 30, 2003. http://www.braitmayerfoundation.org/guid.htm
"School Funding Services Grant of the Week"
Each week School Funding Services, a division of New American Schools, features
a new grant on their website. This week they highlight the Jenesis Group Grant.
http://www.schoolfundingservices.org/newsViewer.asp?docId=2546
"FastWEB"
FastWEB is the largest online scholarship search available, with 600,000 scholarships
representing over one billion in scholarship dollars. It provides students with
accurate, regularly updated information on scholarships, grants, and fellowships
suited to their goals and qualifications, all at no cost to the student. Students
should be advised that FastWEB collects and sells student information (such
as name, address, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, and country of citizenship)
collected through their site. http://www.fastweb.com/
"Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)"
More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make hundreds
of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to find. The result
of that work is the FREE website. http://www.ed.gov/free/
"Fundsnet Online Services"
A comprehensive website dedicated to providing nonprofit organizations, colleges,
and Universities with information on financial resources available on the Internet.
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/
"Department of Education Forecast of Funding"
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the
Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new
awards for FY 2003 and provides actual or estimated deadline dates for the transmittal
of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts --
organized according to the Department's principal program offices -- and include
programs and competitions the Department has previously announced, as well as
those it plans to announce at a later date. Note: This document is advisory
only and is not an official application notice of the Department of Education.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/grants/forecast.html
"eSchool News School Funding Center"
Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and technology
funding. http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/
"Philanthropy News Digest-K-12 Funding Opportunities"
K-12 Funding opportunities with links to grantseeking for teachers, learning
technology, and more. http://fdncenter.org/funders/
"School Grants"
A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and obtain
special grants for a variety of projects. http://www.schoolgrants.org
Difficult economic times and resulting budget cuts continue to plague many
schools and libraries. WEB FEET is dedicated to providing teachers and librarians
not only with the best curriculum Web sites, but also with valuable resources
especially for educational professionals.
With this in mind, the sites on library advocacy, ( http://www2.lhric.org/libsys/LibraryAdvocacy.htm
) should be helpful. They were researched by Deanna McDaniel, a middle school
media specialist and member of the WEB FEET Advisory Board. You will find tips
for strategic planning, statistics, research, and free PowerPoint presentations
that you can use to enhance your presentations to administrators, your school
board, and your community.
The WEB FEET Guides website can be found at http://www.webfeetguides.com/
The Rockefeller Institute is very please to offer an online curriculum on New York State government to be be used in conjuction with the recent book by Robert Ward, New York State Government: What It Does, How It Works.
The curriculum was developed for the Rockefeller Institute by Maryanne Malecki, who serves as an instructional supervisor for the Albany City School District. Her certifications include secondary social studies, English/language arts, elementary education, developmental reading and school district administration.
The direct link to the curriculum is:
http://www.rockinst.org/publications/general_institute/nygov_curriculum/ny_state_gov_resources.htm
Library Statistics and Performance Measures http://web.syr.edu/%7Ejryan/infopro/stats.html. The tighter budgets get, the more librarians need to document the work they do. This site offers lots of resources for doing that. Part of a much larger site you may want to spend some time with, Information Resources for Information Professionals ( http://web.syr.edu/~jryan/infopro/ ).
Do you invite authors to visit your school? How about a nonfiction author for a change? Did you know that Vicki Cobb is a local author? For more information on Vicki Cobb's Arts & Science Surprises go to http://www2.lhric.org/libsys/news/vicki_cobb.pdf
Chapter 478 of the Laws of 1934, known as the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, created the State Liquor Authority and the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The Legislature enacted this measure "for the protection, health, welfare and safety of the people of the State."
Despite the ongoing efforts by law enforcement, underage drinking (including excessive drinking and binge drinking) continues to plague our communities and neighborhoods.
Alcohol and Your Child is a pamphlet recently issued "to provide helpful information that will assist parents with underage drinking concerns."
It is available in paper copy from the State Liquor Authority Enforcement Bureau zone offices (Albany 518-474-0385 , Buffalo 716-847-3039 , New York 212-417-4059) and is also online in PDF format at http://www.abc.state.ny.us/training/alcoholandyourchild.pdf.
Susan Keitel, New York Library Association (NYLA) Director, reported that "history has been made in Albany. The Assembly and the Senate have just completed overriding the Governor's veto of $13.3 million in library aid. "
" $13.3 million in state funding for libraries was cut out by the Governor in his January budget proposal; restored by the Legislature in its budget response; vetoed by the Governor when the budget bills were sent to him; and it now has been passed into law by the Assembly and the Senate through the veto override procedure outlined in the State Constitution. "
" What should you do: Once again call or write each of your Senators and Assembly members, indicating your gratitude for their support of library funding, as evidenced by the successful votes to override the Governor's veto. Please also acknowledge the leadership of Assemblywoman Sandra Galef and Senator Hugh Farley, chairs of their respective committees in the Legislature, in convincing their leaders and colleagues of the importance of library aid restoration. "
" When you have time, drop a note to the Governor,
telling him that you believe libraries of all kinds are vitally important
and urging him to support them in every possible way. Keep all links of
communication open. Maintain good relationships
with everyone. "
"And, know that I thank you for your endless support of NYLA's advocacy activities, for tirelessly writing and calling elected officials, time and time again, and for working so hard this year to sustain state funding for the library community."
Susan Keitel, New York Library Association (NYLA) Director, reported that on April 30th "the Senate and the Assembly passed a budget bill which includes full restoration of the $13.3 million in library aid. A. 2103 B will now be sent to the Governor for his action. He can sign it into law; veto it; or veto parts of it, as explained below. The bill contains many other items in addition to library aid."
"It is possible (and perhaps even likely) that the Governor will veto the budget bill. Because it is a budget bill, the form of any Gubernatorial veto is different than it would be with regular, non-budget bills. With budget bills, the Governor may veto each individual increase that has been added by the Legislature. This, of course, means that he could veto the library aid of $13.3 million."
"What should you do? It is vitally important that every librarian, trustee, and library supporter take action immediately and carry out two tasks. The first task is to contact the Governor's office either by writing or calling, and reiterate the importance of the $13.3 million in restored library aid. Remember to note that without the $13.3 million restoration in library aid, New York will lose $1.4 million in federal LSTA money. And, of course, be specific about your own library or system and what is needed to provide quality library services. Your letters should be positive in tone and should simply stress what you know best: the state of your library today. If the Governor were persuaded not to veto the library aid restoration, the $13.3 million appropriation would become law."
"The second task is to continue to remain in touch with each of your Assembly members and your Senators. Thank them again and again for including the $13.3 million restoration in library aid in their budget bill. Assure them that you appreciate their efforts and will continue to support them. Understand that each of them is under enormous pressure within the Legislature now, and that there has been a shift in the way business is done here in the Capital. They need to be assured of your support and appreciation for their efforts if they voted for the budget bill."
Check our library website for current updates on this important issue.
The Gale Group has announced a new online database, Kids InfoBits, designed specifically for elementary school students. Kids InfoBits includes curriculum support references from Blackbirch Press, nearly 100 full-text age appropriate magazines and two newswires. Kids InfoBits is jam-packed with eye popping graphs, charts, maps and more than 2,500 searchable images.
Please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org for your free trial information.
Amy Moulton will demonstrate Kids InfoBits as well as other Gale databases on Tuesday, May 20th at the School Library System, 2 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, New York beginning at 9:00 a.m. Since the Gale Group provides many of the free databases available through NOVEL and the New York State Library, this is an excellent learning opportunity. The free databases include:
Health Reference Center-Academic (HRCA) -- available since January 1999, HRCA is a multi-source database that provides access to consumer and professional health information. All in a single, easy-to-use database, HRCA integrates the full text and images of respected nursing, allied health and medical journals; consumer health magazines; newsletters pamphlets; newspaper articles; topical overviews; and reference books. The usage statistics show that many public, hospital/medical centers and school libraries use this database.
Business & Company Resources Center (BCRC) -- available since May 2002, brings together a wide variety of global business information, enabling users to efficiently research business case studies, competitive intelligence, and career and investment opportunities. The database includes: company profiles, including corporate parent/sibling relationships, industry ranking, products and brands, stock prices, investment reports, industry statistics, corporate chronologies and histories, consumer marketing data, emerging technology reports, industry newsletter news and analysis, business journal news and analysis, press releases, global coverage, and more. The usage statistics show that many public, academic and high school libraries use this database.
InfoTrac Junior -- available since May 2002, InfoTrac Junior is a periodical database designed for junior high and middle school students and features the titles most critical to their libraries and curriculum. With InfoTrac Junior's diverse perspectives and strong full-text coverage, students will find the answers they need to all their general reference questions. The usage statistics show that many K-12 schools use this database.
ReferenceLink (New!) -- available since April 1, 2003, contains over 40 newspapers, newswires and news databases from the Gale Newsroom Library Edition and is updated daily. Also included are more than 40 special reference databases such as Consumer Reports, ERIC, MEDLINE, New England Journal of Medicine and others.
Twayne's Author Series (New!) -- available since April 1, 2003, features the content of over 600 books that comprise three print series - United States Authors, English Authors and World Authors. This series is devoted to literary critical interpretation and discussion for readers ranging from high school students through college and above.
Please contact Janet Jamal regarding your attendance. Janet can be reached at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
As a result of our Library Services and Technology Act grant, over forty curriculum related websites were created by teams from the School Library Systems of Southern Westchester BOCES, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES and the City of Yonkers. Some of these websites were demonstrated on April 25th at Manhattanville College at our workshop, Celebrate Learning and Literacy: Web curriculum Models for Student Achievement.
All participants in the grant, as well as interested school library media specialists, are invited to join us on May 28th from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. as the school librarians and teachers demonstrate their finished products. The websites span the K – 12 curriculum range and include video, original student work, and interactive activities. Learn about the life cycle of sea horses, experience FEVER, check out an African village! It’s all a click and keystroke away!
The "famous" Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System ice cream social will be part of the festivities.
Please contact Janet Jamal regarding your attendance. Janet can be reached at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
Celebrate with us as the Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System honors three of its members, Nancy Forrest, Barbara Ginsberg, and Mary Raab-Henzi, upon their retirment. The festivities will take place on June 4th from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at Tramonto Restaurant, 27 Saw Mill River Road, Hawthorne, NY. Additional information will be sent via mail.
Nancy Forrest is the librarian at Iona Preparatory School. Barbara Ginsberg is the elementary school librarian at Dows Lane in Irvington. Mary Raab Henzi is the librarian at Sleepy Hollow High/Middle School. All have served on the Council and have given of their time and energy in working on projects for the School Library System.
Join with us in celebrating their accomplishments!
Keep kids reading this summer with PICTURE THIS, IMAGINE THAT - READ!, the New York State Library's statewide summer reading program for students in pre-K-12. The goal this year is to have 1 million kids reading and participating in the program.
Studies have shown that public library summer reading programs help maintain reading levels and boost student achievement. PICTURE THIS, IMAGINE THAT - READ! will help prevent students from falling behind over the summer while they have fun with reading and reading-related entertainment and recreation, opportunities to use computers, search the Internet, and socialize with peers. Those children who have fun with PICTURE THIS, IMAGINE THAT - READ! this summer, will be ready to learn and achieve more when they return to school in the fall.
Encourage your students to keep reading this summer. Kids can sign up at their participating public libraries, branches, or reading centers in their community. For more information go to http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/ or contact Anne Simon at the New York State Library via email at asimon@mail.nysed.gov or phone 518/486-2194. A registration coupon to return to your public library can be found at http://www2.lhric.org/libsys/news/coupon.
The New York State Staff Development Council is seeking interested members to serve on their Board of Directors. Current projects that are "in the works" include conference planning, developing a Staff Development Academy, and expanding the membership of the Council in NYS. For more information, please contact Karla Reiss, kreiss3@earthlink.net.
School Library Media Specialists of Southeastern New York, SLMSSENY, is a professional organization comprised of over 250 school library media specialists in southeastern New York. SLMSSENY is one of eight regional affiliates, which make up the School Library Media Section of the New York Library Association.
At their annual conference, held on April 4th at the Holiday Inn in Fishkill, NY, SLMSSENY was proud to present the 2003 Rip Van Winkle Award for continuous contribution to children's literature to author and illustrator Iza Trapani.
Iza has told and illustrated a collection of classic nursery rhymes, including:
The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Shoo Fly!, I'm a Little Teapot, and her most current addition, Froggie Went A –Courtin'. She combines her art with the story to create a fresh new perspective on the classics. Each page of her books shows the love and humor she feels for her stories and characters. Children and adults delight in the retellings of the nursery rhymes and are captivated when they watch Iza draw the itsy bitsy spider in a variety of situations.
A resident of Ulster Park, NY, Iza Trapani joins a host of authors and illustrators from the Hudson Valley region who have been honored with this prestigious award since its inception in 1980.
INSTRUCTOR
Karen Patricia Smith
DATES & TIMES
Session IT 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(M 6/30, W 7/2, M 7/7, W 7/9, F 7/11)
LOCATION
Manhattanville College
Library Conference Room
This seminar will excite participants about the contributions made to literature written for children and adolescents, grades K -8, by authors and illustrators who have made significant contributions to writing for young people. Participants will be introduced to forms and types of literature; criteria for excellence; techniques for analysis and evaluation; and identification of appeal and suitability for different types of readers.
During the course participants will:
This course can be used for credit in the Manhattanville College Graduate School of Education or the Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. Karen Patricia Smith is a professor at the Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. She is expert in multi-cultural literature for children and young adults.
The Junior Great Books program is the cornerstone of an effort to make reading and discussing literature a lifelong pursuit. First introduced to schools in 1962, Junior Great Books is now used by more than 1 million students in all 50 states and in countries around the world. By combining age-appropriate literature with the shared inquiry method of discussion, Junior Great Books brings literature to life and helps students discover a joy of reading they will carry with them into adulthood.
Junior Great Books is proven to help students develop the essential skills of reading carefully, thinking critically, listening intently, and speaking and writing persuasively. The highly regarded program is most often led by teachers in classrooms with students of mixed abilities as an integral part of the regular language arts curriculum. However, it is flexible enough to focus on the needs of ESL, gifted and AP, and Title 1 students or to use as an after-school program led by parents, volunteers, or librarians.
The Great Books Foundation trains more than 15,000 leaders annually in our nationally acclaimed professional development workshops. Classroom teachers, parents, volunteers, principals, librarians, reading specialists, professors, and high school students all participate in our training.
Junior Great Books has entered into a partnership with Southern Westchester BOCES, offering training, consultation and materials needed to implement the program in your school or district. This special meeting will acquaint administrators and principals with the design of the Junior Great Books classroom activities and the ways that educators are using the program to help students meet the goals of the English Language Arts Standards. Encourage your principal to attend this informational session with you. This program under the auspices of the school library meadia center can benefit the entire school community.
The Institute for Writing and Thinking is holding a series of workshops that may be of interest. For access to their website and/or information on upcoming workshops go to: http://www.writingandthinking.org/teachers
The National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) will be conducting a summer science technology institute July 13 - 16, 2003 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Institute workshops include sessions relating to online professional development, online content exploration, the JASON Project, Lego robotics and more. For additional information on this institute go to http://www.nsela.org
The New York State Staff Development Council will host its annual conference No Colleague Left Behind "Growing as a Community of Learners" May 18 - 20, 2003 in Rochester, NY. The conference will feature Dr. Giselle Mattin-Kniep and Dr. Rick DuFour. To register for this conference on-line go to http://www.formsite.com/nyssdc/2003conference. For additional information on the conference contact Tom Simon, Conference Chair (716) 593-5510 or tsimon@scio.wnyric.org The conference titled "Expanding your Horizons in Science and Mathematics" sponsored by The New York State Education Department, Siena College, and The Math Science Network will be conducted April 12, 2003 at Siena College, Loudonville, New York. This conference is designed to provide female students in grades 6 through 12 an opportunity to meet and form personal contacts with women working in non-traditional math and science male dominated occupations. Students will have the opportunity to select such workshops topics as space, polymers, astronomy, cell forensics, DNA, chemistry, microbes, female body, math and music, building blueprints, computer web design, and more. The program for adults includes a round table discussion and meeting women involved in math and science occupations. For information and brochures on this conference contact Dr. Alicia Todaro at (518) 783-4140 or go to www.siena.edu/todaro.
The American Library Association Conference 2003 will be held in Toronto, Ontario. Please check their website (www.ala.org/events/annual2003) for status update. This is the first time in recent history that ALA has planned the conference outside the borders of the United States. All of the divisions' programs are planned on topics of interest to librarians on both sides of the border.
One example is the pre-conference "How Can a Teacher Librarian Affect Student Learning?", sponsored by AASL (American Association of School Librarians) and CSLA (Canadian School Library Association), to be held on Thursday, June 19th . This is an all day workshop for library media specialists (American title) and teacher librarians (Canadian title) with hands-on experiences, speakers, and small group discussions and reflection on the topic which will include a conceptual framework and tools to adapt and apply to their school building programs. The concerns are the same, just the titles are different.
On Saturday, Ellin Oliver Keene, co-author of Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader's Workshop will be speaking about using literacy experience in libraries and classrooms to help students discover their own intellectual capabilities. Following this president's program will be a joint member reception.
This ALA Conference occurs June 19th to 25th. The details for registration and housing can be found at www.ala.org/events/annual2003
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The New York State Education Department has announced the availability of The 2003-04 Child Abduction Prevention Education Program Request for Proposals (RFP). A copy of the RFP announcement has been mailed to all public school superintendents. The purpose of this grant is to provide a competitive opportunity for public school districts to meet the current statutory requirement to provide instruction in the prevention of abduction for all students in grades K-8. Applications must be postmarked by Friday, June 30, 2003 and will cover the fiscal period from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004. Applicants should document how they plan to work collaboratively with school-based management teams, law enforcement officials, parent groups, and representatives of community-based organizations to develop or adopt a curriculum and training design that is integrated with school district health and wellness programs and aligned with state learning standards.
To view the RFP online go to www.emsc.nysed.gov or www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/prevent.html. For more information, contact Doris Hill-Wyley, Statewide Program Manager, at 518: 474-5922 or at dhillwyl@mail.nysed.gov.
News Desk
http://www.wildgrape.net/
Easily customized for a variety of preferences, News Desk is a helpful way
to stay in touch with hundreds of news sources. The application is a RSS
headline reader, reading headlines from thousands of sources in 25
different languages. Users can search for headlines
with keyword searches and age filters, along with the
ability to send headlines using emails. The program's
main Web site also features five tutorials that assist users who
want to utilize the full capabilities of the application. News Desk is
compatible with all systems running Windows 95 and higher. [KMG]
From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project
1994-2003.
http://scout.wisc.edu/
Some of you have heard or read about 2-1-1, the free dialing code for health and human services information and referral. 2-1-1 is still in the development and pilot stages in New York State but is operational in several other states and in several more localities across the U.S.
Following is some information on this important initiative:
If you prefer to go directly to the webpages see:
www.211ny.org for
New York State information or
www.211.org for
national 2-1-1 information.
WHAT IS 2-1-1?
1) An easy number to call
2) Highly trained and certified staff
3) Information and Referral to health and human service programs on
an individualized basis
Dialing 2-1-1 will directly connect caller to a local or regional 2-1-1 call center. Information and referral specialists (I&R) will conduct a comprehensive or specialized interview depending on circumstances, and provide the caller with detailed information and referral to appropriate agencies and services. Referrals will include crisis calls, e.g. suicide intervention, domestic violence, etc.
A 24-hour, multilingual, live service, including TTY, so people get the
help and information they need when they need it.
HOW WILL 2-1-1 WORK IN NEW YORK STATE?
Regional call centers (approximately 10-12) will be designated as hubs.
Regional call centers must meet Standards for Professional Information
and Referral established by AIRS (the Alliance of Information and
Referral Systems).
Input will be sought from those who already provide information and
referral services within each county.
The specific needs of each region regarding data management and the
delivery of information and referral services will be addressed.
WHO IS LEADING THE 2-1-1 EFFORT IN NEW YORK STATE?
2-1-1 New York Collaborative, co-sponsored by NYSAIRS (New York
Alliance of Information and Referral Systems) and the United Way of New
York State, is developing a statewide plan for implementation.
Co-chaired by NYSAIRS past president, Linda Daily, and Susan Hager,
President of the United Way of New York State, members are from
nonprofit information and referral agencies, United Ways and other
supporters. In February 2002, the New York
State Public Service Commission issued an order that
recognizes the 2-1-1 New York Collaborative as the lead
agency for 2-1-1 in New York State.
WHY WOULD LIBRARIES SUPPORT AND BE INFORMED on 2-1-1?
Libraries are already recognized information and referral resources in local communities. And many maintain local directories and databases that include a variety of community programs, services and organizations. By sustaining local information databases, libraries and library systems can become a vital partner in research and development of a 2-1-1 database.
Libraries are a natural link to reaching out into the community. Libraries will help disseminate information about the new 2-1-1 services in New York State.
Depending on development plans, Libraries are potential access points to the 2-1-1 database via Internet connection.
Some libraries may even be in a position to help coordinate 2-1-1
services within their area.
HOW WILL 2-1-1 BE FUNDED?
United Way of New York serves as fiscal agent. Funding will be through
a public- private partnership including federal, state and local
government funding streams and United Way, corporate and other
charitable entities, major gifts and endowments.
HOW WILL 2-1-1 BECOME OPERATIONAL? When start-up funding is secured
FIRST: Three or four regional call centers including
Central Region
Finger Lakes Region
Taconic Region
Western New York Region
GOAL OF STATEWIDE SERVICE: Ten to twelve regional call centers in New
York State
FOR INFORMATION:
2-1-1 New York Home Page www.211ny.org
2-1-1 National Home Page www.211.org
Linda Daily, FIRST, Inc. 914-948-7981
LSDaily@FIRSTwp.org
Susan Hager, United Way of New York State, 518-463-2522
Shager@uwnys.org
NYS Alliance of Information & Referral Systems
For additional information and to discuss how libraries can participate
in the 2-1-1 Initiative for New York State, please contact:
Cassie Artale, New York State Library, 518-474-1479,
cartale@mail.nysed.gov
History Reference Center is now available via EBSCOhost!
With full text for more than 275,000 entries from thousands of historical sources, History Reference Center is a comprehensive history database designed for use in school and public libraries. This collection contains 300 top-quality reference books and encyclopedias, including those from Oxford University Press, Millbrook Press, Lerner Publishing, Salem Press, and many others.
In addition, History Reference Center includes 58,000 historical documents, 43,000 biographies, and over 100,000 images and historical maps. History Reference Center features cover-to-cover full text for 50 leading history journals such as America's Civil War, American Heritage, American Historical Review (back to 1975), American History, British Heritage, German History, Military History and History Today (back to 1975), along with selected articles from nearly 500 magazines and journals.
To further encourage in-depth study of history, the database provides access to
primary source documents from the American Reference Library, Essential
Historical Speeches, United States Supreme Court cases, and public domain
documents. History Reference Center includes four complete encyclopedic volumes:
Columbia Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of World History, Encyclopedia of Australia
and Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Britain. Users of this database can find
information on specific eras by searching World History or United States History
timelines. These searches will yield multiple results from subject-specific
nonfiction books, general reference books, images, maps, newspapers and
historical commentaries from EBSCO’s deep archive of publications.
For additional information or a free 60-day trial of History Reference Center,
please send an e-mail to
information@epnet.com.
As many of you know, the New York Library Association launched its new web
site in April –
www.nyla.org. What many of you may not know is that the
new web site contains a special “members only” section. NYLA’s online
membership directory gives you access to a wealth of information about
the association, the profession, and your colleagues.
Think of it as an online Rolodex! NYLA members can
update their information as well as search for
information about other NYLA members. An electronic library community!
Not a NYLA Member?
You can log into the directory by visiting -
http://my.memberclicks.com/nyla -
and using "guest" as your username and password. Use
your guest status to look up the profiles of NYLA Council and
Leaders. With NYLA membership you’ll be able to see the entire membership
directory, complete with searchable fields for section, roundtable and
location. As a member you will be able to e-mail your colleagues with
just a click of a button and share ideas and network
on subject related Bulletin Boards.
Interested in joining NYLA?
Visit
http://www.nyla.org/index.php?page_id=89 for
additional membership information and downloadable
membership forms.
Questions about NYLA and/or the Membership Directory? Contact the NYLA
office at nylaoffice@pobox.com
or 800-252-6952 x105.
Teacher's Domain -
http://www.teachersdomain.org
Education World -
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech158.shtml
Innovative Teaching -
http://surfaquarium.com/it.htm
CIESE Online Classroom Projects -
http://www.k12science.org/currichome.html
TC Record.Org - http://www.tcrecord.org
Wi Learns -
http://www.wilearns.com/default.asp?cid=20
Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanic Americans Website -
http://www.YesICan.gov
Student in Service to America -
http://www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org/index.html
National Association of Secondary School principals -
http://www.principals.org/about_us/02.html
The Gateway to Educational materials -
http://www.thegateway.org
The Einstein Project -
http://www.einsteinproject.org/about
Envision -
http://www.eas.purdue.edu/geomorph/envision
Women in Science -
http://science.education.nih.gov/women/index.html
The Status of Science and Mathematics Teaching" -
http://2000survey.horizon-research.com
Math Counts - http://www.mathcounts.org
NASA Spacelink: An Aeronautics and Space Resource for Education -
http://spacelink.nasa.gov
Center for Performance Assessment -
http://www.makingstandardswork.com
District Administration -
http://www.districtadministration.com
Education Week on the Web -
http://www.edweek.org
Action for Healthy Kids -
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/index.htm
Education World Classroom Management Resources -
http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-teaching/best-practices/classroom-management
Teacher's Resources -
http://www2.shore.net/~lhs/library/teacherpage2.htm
Gradeworks.com - http://www.gradeworks.com
NSDC's Technology Standards -
http://www.nsdc.org/e-learning.pdf
Teaching.com - http://www.teaching.com
The Knowledge Loom - http://knowledgeloom.org
The National Science Center -
http://nationalsciencecenter.org
MiddleWeb - http://www.middleweb.com
The Teachers net Gazette -
http://teachers.net/gazette
Sharing Success -
http://www.sharingsuccess.org
Connect for Kids -
http://www.connectforkids.org
On Friday, April 25th at Manhattanville College, the School Library Systems of Southern Westchester and Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES and Yonkers City present Celebrate Learning and Literacy: Web Curriculum Models for Student Achievement. This half-day workshop will showcase the active learning environments that have been created by classroom teachers, school librarians, reading teachers and computer teachers to motivate students and enhance learning. Twenty-six districts involving forty-four schools participated in these projects. Learn how this model of curriculum development and technology integration can be replicated in your school at this culminating event for our Improving Literacy Through School Libraries federal grant and our New Century Learning: A Collaborative Approach state grant. The latter was 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.
Dr. Gary Hartzell, Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will give the keynote address focusing on the role of collaborative relationships and the underlying role of administrative support to achieve this goal. Dr Hartzell, a nationally known speaker, educator, and former principal is author of numerous articles on school administration practices, school libraries and workplace relationships and an advisor to the Laura Bush Foundation on Reading.
Grant participants will discuss the processes involved in this collaboration and demonstrate the results when literacy and technology are combined in a meaningful way to improve student performance. As a result of these grant projects over forty interactive curriculum-based websites, district literacy websites and project websites were developed. Publishing to the web allows these instructional strategies and related information to be shared with other educators.
This unique event will be held at Manhattanville College, Reid Castle, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, New York from 8:30 A.M. – 11:30 A.M. beginning with a continental breakfast. Invitations have been sent to superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals and school library media specialists. The cost is $15.00 per person. Please contact Janet Jamal at the Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System (telephone) 914-345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 914-592-4438 or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org regarding your attendance. Early reservations are recommended, since space is limited.
According to Susan Keitel, Executive Director of the New York Library Association, NYLA’s Lobby Day on March 18th was a great success. Librarians made their voices heard in Albany, and they had ample opportunity to hear from Speaker Silver, Senator Farley, Assemblywoman Galef and others, all of whom supported the restoration of state aid to libraries. The rally at noon on the Capital steps attracted over 1,000 participants and local media.
At the Westchester Delegation morning meeting with legislators, Linda Kurtz, school library media specialist, Rye Neck High School, introduced students from the high school’s Student Government class. These students along with their teacher, traveled to Albany as part of the Westchester Library Association contingent. Three of the students addressed Assembly members, Sandra Galef, Richard Brodsky, Adam Bradley, and Amy Paulin and Senators Nicholas Spano and Suzi Oppenheimer and other legislative representatives on their individual perspective of a library’s value both in education and to society as a whole.
We must continue to voice the needs of the library community for restored funding. The 15% cut in the Governor’s budget threatens to erode services at a time when more people than ever use libraries. The $13.3 million cut reduces library funding to a 1993 level. In 1993 libraries were not providing Internet access or electronic databases. Equity of access to reliable information is important to all New Yorkers from home, school, work and the public library.
Contact your state legislators and urge them to restore funding. Call, write, and visit! Enlist the aid of teachers, students and administrators in stressing the vital importance of restoring aid to libraries.
Information on legislative members can be found at: http://www.assembly.state.ny.us and http://www.senate.state.ny.us.
Janet Martin Welch, State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries, announced the selection of a replacement for the Dialog@CARL database, offered through the New York State Library's NOVEL Databases program. The contract for Dialog@CARL - Basic Collection online database program expired March 31, 2003 due to a vendor merger and is no longer available to the NOVEL Databases program through any vendor.
The replacement database will be ReferenceLink by Gale Group, Inc. Updated daily, ReferenceLink contains over 40 newspapers, newswires and news databases from the Gale Newsroom Library Edition. The New York Times (most current 90 days) and Newsday, which were some of the top newspapers requested by NOVEL database users, are among the newspapers included in the database. Also included are more than 40 reference databases found in Dialog@CARL, such as Consumer Reports, ERIC, MEDLINE, New England Journal of Medicine, WIPO/PCT Patent full text and others.
In addition, Twayne's Author Series by Gale will also be included in the NOVEL Databases program. This database features the content of nearly 600 books that comprise three print series - United States Authors, English Authors and World Authors. This series is devoted to literary critical interpretation and discussion for readers ranging from high school students through college and above.
Although arrangements have not been finalized, Gale has offered to implement access to these databases effective April 1, 2003 so that NOVEL subscribers will not have a disruption in service. The State Library expresses its appreciation to Gale for their commitment to New York's libraries.
All current NOVEL database subscribers that have registered for any of the Gale databases and Dialog@CARL offered through the NOVEL Database program will be automatically registered for these two new Gale databases. ReferenceLink and Twayne's will appear at the bottom of the list of menu choices on Gale's NOVEL web page, in addition to Health Reference Center-Academic, Business & Company Resources Center and InfoTrac Junior.
NOVEL, the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library, is a powerful virtual library that gives New Yorkers full computer access to thousands of national and international newspapers and magazines, health and medical magazines and resources, valuable business and investment information, and fun and educational material for adults and youngsters - all for free via their local library. NOVEL opened a new era in library service, thanks to support from the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) program and the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). NOVEL is a "virtual library" that connects New Yorkers in every community to state-of-the-art information without regard to economic, geographic, or physical barriers. Over 4,000 libraries across the state have already become subscribers.
If your library is not already signed up for the databases offered through the NOVEL Databases program, contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
The Linworth Company has combined the Book Report and Library Talk into one new publication edited by Carol Simpson and titled LMC - Library Media Connection. The publisher is willing to provide discounts on a bulk purchase. The full price is $69 per year. This price will decrease as the number of subscribers increases. Linworth will ship the publication directly to the school. The first issue will be August/September. There will be seven issues per year.
Please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org by April 30 if you or your schools are interested in participating. When the final numbers are known and the final price confirmed, you will be notified. The School Library System will issue one purchase order for all subscriptions. Individual schools will be billed by the School Library System.
BookSource: Nonfiction is a 100% full text research database. It contains both informative abstracts and full text for 1,000 popular nonfiction books. BookSource: Nonfiction provides content representing a wide spectrum of works used in high schools, including many of the complete series from top book publishers such as Millbrook Press, Inc., Lerner Publishing Group, Rourke Publishing, LLC, Capstone Press, Chelsea House, and Mason Crest Publishers. Content includes full text articles on literature, social studies, history, and science, as well as information on careers, health, sports, adventure, and technology.
This fully-searchable book content is broken into manageable, meaningful units, based on the divisions established by the publishers. These units can be chapters, sub-headings or whole books (for short, one-subject publications). Each unit appears as its own record in the result list, complete with its own citation information and detailed abstract. The citation for each record also includes a helpful link, "Click to view Table of Contents," which provides a list of all records included in that specific publication.
Users are able to limit their searches by one or more of the following criteria: book title, year published, Lexile reading level, number of pages, or articles with images. Furthermore, searches can be conducted from book title and subject authority files.
New content will be added to this collection on an ongoing basis.
For additional information, or a free 60-day trial of BookSource: Nonfiction, please send an e-mail to: information@epnet.com.
On May 1, 2003 the Historical Society for the Preservation of the Underground Railroad is having a pre-opening reception for their new Exhibit Center, located at 225 River Street, Troy, New York. They are a 501(C) (3) education corporation in desperate need of your professional assistance. They are trying for the first ever Underground Reading Room, featuring books on the Underground Railroad, Abolitionists, and the early feminists movement. As a not-for-profit corporation, they are asking if libraries that have more than one copy of a book on related subjects would be interested in donating to this endeavor. They are also in need of Book Cases and the old Dewey Decimal card file system. Any assistance in this endeavor will be welcome. Their web page is www.NYhistory.com\spurr or call 1-888- SPUR or Email at ugrr_spur@yahoo.com
$15,000 IN CLASSROOM SCHOLARSHIPS TO 100 SCHOOLS
STANDARDS ALIGNED ONLINE PICTURE DATABASE OFFERED FREE TO K-12 SCHOOLS
Quality educational photos & illustrations available online:
http://www.gotoep.com
CHICAGO IL USA: March 27, 2003: Educational pictures, Inc. is awarding $15,000 in classroom scholarship subscriptions to one hundred schools worldwide. Educational Pictures features a standards aligned image database with a simple interface and image messaging system. Public and private schools are eligible.
To receive a scholarship subscription for one classroom in your school, principals, librarians or teachers can submit a written request to mfisher@gotoep.com with scholarship in the subject field and a short paragraph about how standards aligned images are good for education. The first one hundred schools to email EP starting March 27, 2003 will be awarded a scholarship and passwords good from September 2003 through June 2004. One scholarship is available per school.
EP's proprietary picture content specializes in science, math, history and health with more than 25,000 standards aligned photos and illustrations in its searchable database.
Students and teachers can search and download pictures for use in lesson plans, presentations, homework assignments, school reports, science fairs and class websites.
After a year of extensive testing and use in several schools, EP has become a valuable research and educational tool. Students can find the images they need within seconds, says Henry Schleichkorn, EP's president. For example, a typical search on Paramecium will instantly produce 32 specific images. Teachers and students no longer have to pick through unrelated search results from cumbersome archives. EP saves precious time when surfing the web and eliminates potential exposure to inappropriate materials and advertising.
EP's Photo Notebooks feature vLightbox Technology enabling users to save
images for future consideration. Photo Notebooks can be sent through the
closed messaging system to teachers and fellow students, keeping the
EP site kid-safe.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Educational Pictures is a photo library representing over 1.2 million
interesting images. Educational Pictures, Inc. has been serving the
textbook industry since 1985.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Mike Fisher
Chief Executive Officer
mfisher@gotoep.com
Henry Schliechkorn
President
henry@gotoep.com
Educational Pictures, Inc. http://www.gotoep.com
3660 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL USA 60618-4132
Toll Free: 800-373-2677 or 773-267-3100 email: info@gotoep.com
An interesting Web site promoting Health Literacy was referenced in the January/February 2003, "Closing the Gap" newsletter of the Office of Minority Health at http://www.omhrc.gov/ctg/ctg_Jan2003.pdf
This Web site includes a section, "Ideas For Collaborating With Health Organizations." It also includes a curriculum that includes lessons developed to meet the educational and health needs of students attending health literacy classes. The program was created by Andres Muro of El Paso Collaborative. It provides a model that could stimulate discussion for collaboration between libraries and health related organizations.
The El Paso Collaborative: Health Literacy Curriculum http://www.worlded.org/us/health/docs/elpaso/index.htm
Meeting the needs of a variety of interests, from planners and public officials to community organizations, the Center's NEW YORK SOCIAL INDICATORS PROJECT is a map-based GIS system providing current data on key social and economic indicators. This sophisticated series of web pages is useful in identifying the most attractive and successful aspects of a city's development as well as problem areas. Data are provided for counties, cities/towns, and census tracts in New York State. Visit http://mumford.cas.albany.edu/nysi
This website was developed as a result of a graduate level class at the
University at Albany. The students in the Administration of School Media
Programs were required to do a final project. Courtney McAvoy created a website
using the concept of development from apprentice advocate to master advocate.
Her underlying presumption is that generally, people want to be advocates but
don't know where to start. They are uncomfortable speaking publicly or even
writing to legislators and everyone needs some hand-holding. Courtney
volunteered to present her site at the NYLA Legislation Committee. Here's the link:
http://www.geocities.com/mcevoy50/admain.htm
(Linda Fox, Director, School Library System, Capital Region BOCES, 6G British
American Blvd. Latham, NY 12110
E-MAIL: lfox@gw.neric.org URL:
www.crbsls.org
)
This web tool was created by David Warlick of The Landmark Project on October 29, 2000 and is part of the Landmarks for Schools web site for teachers. www.landmark-project.com/citation_machine/cm.php
Speak up and speak out for libraries!
Library supporters need to take action now!
If you want to make a difference, make it now. In the next 10 days your action is crucial. Speak up and speak out to restore the 15% cut in library aid.
Pick up the phone and call your state senator and assemblyperson and talk to them about the impact this cut will have on library services.
Pick up your pen and write letters. Ask your friends and neighbors to do the same. Check out the NYLA web site for talking points: www.nyla.org .
Show up in Albany on March 18th to visit your legislators and join in the first-ever Rally for Libraries on the Capitol Steps, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
See below for more details and check out the NYLA web site to learn more about library advocacy.
Speak up and speak out for libraries -- NOW. Take action -- you can make a difference!
On January 29th Governor George Pataki proposed a reduction of $13.3 million in state aid to libraries. This amount, which represents a
14.8% cut in aid, will drop library funding to levels last seen in the
early 1990's, a time when most of us were dealing with DOS, dumb
terminals and dial access. [The entire 'Executive Budget (Overview)' as well as the 'Executive Budget
Appendix I' and 'Executive Budget Appendix II (Financial Plan)' can also be viewed or downloaded from the Division of the
Budget web site at
http://www.budget.state.ny.us/pubs/executive/executive.html
in both HTML or PDF
formats.]
§ Let your voice be heard. We need every library staff person, every trustee and every patron to participate in advocacy efforts. Our message is simple: restore the $13.3 million cut from Library Aid in the Governor's budget.
§ Write your state legislators. Visit them in their home offices. Tell them that the timing for these cuts could not have been worse. Economic hard times result in increased library use. Libraries have undertaken new roles in providing computer access to job seekers, students, and researchers. The Baby Boomlet has more children using public, school, and college libraries than ever before. Costs of traditional services such as books and magazines are far higher than they were in the early 90s, and other library costs such as electronic databases and network connections did not even exist back then.
§ Keep alive the New Century Libraries proposal, a vision of ideal library funding embraced by the entire library community. We need to ensure that excellent library service can continue to be available for people in every community, every school, and every college and university in New York.
§ Come to Albany on Tuesday, March 18th and "Rally for Libraries" on the steps of the Capitol from 12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m . Participate in NYLA's annual Library Legislative Day, for advocacy activities and briefings by NYLA leaders. Join library supporters from across the state on that day as we, meet with our legislators. The Westchester Library Association is sponsoring a bus trip to Albany. Check out their website for registration details www. wliba .org.
Your voice is needed by the library community now!
Accessible Archives produces on-line databases of primary source material from 18th and 19th century American Newspapers. These are extensive databases consisting of more then 300 million key word searchable words from full text searchable documents.
ON-LINE TRIAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org for additional information and pricing.
Accessible Archives, Inc., a publisher of electronic full-text searchable historical databases, announces the publication of Parts V & VI of AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS: The 19th Century. The 6 parts contain over 100,000 articles and over 60 Million words.
Newspapers included in this database will be made available in chronological
order, with the addition of a minimum of ten million
new words each year. Parts 1 thru 6 includes the following titles:
1. The Freedom's Journal, 1827- 1830. New York, New York
2. The Colored American, 1837- 1841. New York, New York
3. The North Star, 1847- 1851. Rochester, New York
4. Frederick Douglass Paper, 1851 - 1859. Rochester, New York.
(Completed through 1855.)
5. The National Era, 1847- 1860. Washington, D.C.
6. Provincial Freeman, 1854- 1857. Toronto, Canada
7. The Christian Recorder, 1861 - 1902. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Completed through 1872.)
Encyclopedic in scope, AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS: The 19th Century brings together the complete word-for-word texts of major African-American newspapers. These periodicals includes material written by African Americans for African Americans, together with vital Abolitionist papers of the day. Never before has this important material been so readily available for research and fresh interpretation by historians, sociologists, educators and students.
These newspapers are rich with first hand reports of the major events and issues of the nation's history, comprising slavery and emancipation, as well as detailed accounts of everyday life which embody the very fabric of the African-American experience. Included are early biographies; essays and editorials social, economic and political observations; poetry and prose; vital statistics, and advertisements. They also contain extensive information about the Mexican War, Presidential and Congressional addresses, Congressional abstracts, business and commodity markets, the humanities, world travel and religion, all of which embody the African-American experience.
For further information please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
With full text for more than 275,000 entries from thousands of historical sources, History Reference Center is a comprehensive history database designed for use in school and public libraries. This collection contains 200 top-quality reference books and encyclopedias, including those from Oxford University Press, Millbrook Press, Lerner Publishing, Salem Press, and many others. In addition, History Reference Center includes 58,000 historical documents, 43,000 biographies, and over 100,000 images and historical maps. History Reference Center features cover-to-cover full text for 50 leading history journals such as America's Civil War, American Heritage, American Historical Review (back to 1975), American History, British Heritage, German History, Military History and History Today (back to 1975), along with selected articles from nearly 500 magazines and journals.
To further encourage in-depth study of history, the database provides access to primary source documents from the American Reference Library, Essential Historical Speeches, United States Supreme Court cases, and public domain documents. History Reference Center includes four complete encyclopedic volumes: Columbia Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of World History, Encyclopedia of Australia and Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Britain. Users of this database can find information on specific eras by searching World History or United States History timelines. These searches will yield multiple results from subject-specific nonfiction books, general reference books, images, maps, newspapers and historical commentaries from EBSCO’s deep archive of publications.
For further information please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
The New York State Reading Association once again is running the ballots
for Children's Choices. Open to all NY children
in grades K-6, the goals are to find out what books
children are reading and enjoying and to recognize
children's authors and promote the growth of literacy at all
levels.
Go to
http://www2.lhric.org/libsys/news/nysra_children.htm ) to
find the
guidelines and the ballot form. Questions may be sent
to Keli Garas
(KELIGARAS@cs.com). Note the March 15 deadline!
The Westchester Library Association is reinstating its award for the best School Library/Public Library Cooperative Project. This award will be presented at the 66th Annual Conference on Friday, May 9, 2003.
This award recognizes those librarians who have worked together to benefit children and young people.
Why not consider describing your collaborative efforts? The type of endeavor is limited only by your imagination. The project should have occurred between April 1, 2002 and April 12, 2003.
All applications should be completed and returned, no later than April 14, 2003 to: Westchester Library Association P. O. Box 3 Eastchester, N. Y. 10709. Further information and an application can be found at http://www.wliba.org/cooperation%20award.html.
The Awards Committee of the New York Library Association has begun
solicitation of nominations for two awards. Further
details are available at NYLA's internet site
http://www.nyla.org/office/awards/awards.html. The summaries below
briefly describe each of the awards.
Outstanding Advocate of Libraries Award
Purpose: To recognize and honor an individual or group who
have made a far
reaching and sustained contribution to the promotion
and/or support of library and information services to the people of New York
State or residents of a designated library service
area within the state.
Outstanding Service to Libraries Award
Purpose: To recognize and honor an individual or group who
have made a
significant and sustained contribution to the
development, promulgation, growth or extension of library and information
services to the people of New York State or residents
within a designated service area within the state.
Young adult author T.A. Barron has created The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The prize, named in honor of Barron's mother, recognizes outstanding young people ages 8 to 18 who have shown leadership and courage in public service to people and our planet. Barron Prize winners each receive $2,000 to be applied to their higher education or to their service project.
Nomination deadline is May 30, 2003.
One of last year's winners, Kyle Alderson, was nominated by his public librarian for creating Project READ (Reading Encourages All Dreams), a reading mentorship program based in his townąs public library.
A Bibliography of Heroes, compiled with the help of many librarians and teachers, and a Heroes Study Guide, written by Kylene Beers, are available to support librarians and teachers interested in the subject of heroes and heroism.
To nominate a young hero, or to download the Heroes Bibliography and
Study
Guide, visit www.barronprize.org.
Any questions should be directed to:
Barbara Ann Richman
Executive Director
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Boulder, CO
ba_richman@barronprize.org
You can now see the New York State Standards that correlate to the Maps101
content, with links to that content. Go to
http://www.maps101.com
and log in to try it out.
This web site from the
Mid-Hudson Library System was
developed as a resource for teens
dealing with a variety of issues and includes current health
information resources suitable for anyone. There are directions included
for libraries to link to the Health Information Site
(HIP) on their own web pages so it can be used as a
reference tool in-house or from home by patrons.
HEALTH INFORMATION PROJECT WEBSITE
http://midhudson.org/hip/main.htm
The Mid-Hudson Library System's Health Information Project provides consumer health information and substance abuse prevention materials which address issues of concern to young people ages 20 and under, to their families, to educators and to agencies serving youth. Materials may be borrowed at no charge through interlibrary loan. Ongoing revisions and updates have made the Project's site a comprehensive source of information regarding adolescents.
Site features include:
· 121 teen-reviewed, teen recommended current videos addressing teen
topics
· Direct links to 15 top-ranked teen websites
· Fiction and non-fiction books on "hot topics" arranged by subject
· Parenting and Spanish materials
· Review collections of videos addressing different age groups,
available for borrowing by youth services
providers
· Links to general consumer health information sites
· Direct links from materials listings to online catalog and
REQUEST-A-TITLE online ordering procedures
· Procedure for providing direct link to the Health Information
Project website
The Health Information Project follows the research-based RISK AND
PROTECTIVE FACTORS framework, and is funded by the NY State Office of
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and in part by Dutchess
County (NY) government.
Lifelines is a website with homework resources selected for parents and librarians to help students in grades K-12. The site is divided into two sections: one for K-4 subject areas and the other for grades 5-12 curriculum areas. School and public librarians and teachers identified the subject areas as being the ones most widely taught. Within each area there are links to magazine, newspaper and encyclopedia articles, related websites and local history, where applicable. All the articles and websites are age-appropriate, either for younger children or those in the upper grades. This project was originally funded by a Federal LTCF grant obtained at Dutchess County BOCES, who then partnered with Mid-Hudson Library System in developing the K-4 Lifelines website. In 2001 Mid-Hudson received a Federal LSTA grant through the NYS Library which allowed for expansion of Lifelines to include grades 5-12.
The Lifelines Homework Support Web site has added a new section featuring a large collection of primary source documents including such things as historical letters, reports, records, advertising images, cartoons and more. The section includes a brief explanation of what such documents are and why they are important, as well as a few very informative resources for teachers interested in working with primary source documents in the social studies classroom. You can access the new addition by going through the Lifelines 5-12 section at http://midhudson.org/lifelines/lifelines2/default.htm, or you can use the url http://midhudson.org/lifelines/lifelines2/soc-primary-documents.html.
We encourage libraries and schools to put a link to Lifelines on their computers and use it with students who come into the library for homework support. Directions for putting a link and the Lifelines logo on a compute can be found at http://midhudson.org/resources/web_site/lifelines_link.htm. Feedback about the site is also welcome!
Margaret M. Keefe
Coordinator of Youth Services
Mid-Hudson Library System
103 Market Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Phone: 845-471-6060 X35
FAX: 845-454-5940
E-mail: mkeefe@midhudson.org
URL: http://midhudson.org
World-renowned author and illustrator, Peter Sis, will be the special guest on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and conversation at the Irvington Public Library. He will show slides and talk about his career and new book on Charles Darwin, entitled Tree of Life.
Mr. Sis is author/illustrator of Caldecott Honor books Starry Messenger and Tibet: Through the Red Box, as well as such celebrated books as Madlenka, Ballerina, Trucks Trucks Trucks and An Ocean World. He is considered one of the artistic lights of the modern picture book form. His works include books for the very young that both echo and inspire the imaginative playfulness of childhood. He is also celebrated for his sophisticated and more complex works that have appeal for older children and adults and explore the nature of creativity and the intersection of scientific and artistic endeavor.
Copies of his books will be on sale for autographing.
This meeting is sponsored by the Westchester Library System.
Growing Great Librarians: 28th Annual Spring Conference of the Youth Services Section, New York Library Association
Barbara Genco, President of the American Library Association's Association for Library Service to Children, will be the keynote speaker at the Youth Services section of the New York Library Association's Annual Spring Conference. Morning and afternoon workshop topics such as "The Invisible Web," "Cooking Programs with Children," "Crafts for Summer," "Scrapbooking 101," and "Reading Rants and Great YA Books," (to name only a few). Author-illustrator Maira Kalman, known for many children's books such as Fireboat, Max Makes a Million, and Next Stop, Grand Central, will be the luncheon speaker.
The conference will be held on Friday, April 4 at the Wyndham Wind Watch Hotel, 1717 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge, Long Island, New York from 8:15 AM to 3:30 PM. Registration will end on March 28th with the cost for registration between March 1 & 28 being $70 for YSS members or students and $100 for all others.
To Register - Contact:
Linda Clark
Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public Library
One South Country Road
Brightwaters, New York 11718-1517
For More Information - Contact:
Lisa Jacobs, Conference Chair
Hampton Bays Public Library
Hampton Bays, New York
(631) 728-6241
e-mail: ljacobs@suffolk.lib.ny.us
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Southern Westchester BOCES,
2 Westchester Plaza,
Elmsford, NY 10523
Friday, April 25, 2003
8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Manhattanville College
Governor Pataki proposed his 2003-04 budget on January 29, 2003, and in it he recommended decreasing the appropriation for libraries to $75.6 million from $88.9 million, a reduction of about 15%. In addition, the Governor again proposed the creation of a new public benefit corporation to be called the New York Institute for Cultural Education. NYICE would oversee cultural education programs currently overseen by the State Education Department, including the State Library.
NYLA is deeply disappointed with the Governor's recommendation to decrease library funding at a time when libraries are essential in helping people find and create jobs. Employment information, business development information, and job searching are eroded when aid to libraries is cut.
From Susan Lehman Keitel, Executive Director, New York Library Association
The Governor's Budget continues School Library Materials Aid at the current level, with
adjustments for changes in student population. The Budget also continues Textbook, Software,
and Hardware Aid at current levels, with adjustments.
Governor's Budget School Aid amounts
Textbook Aid 189.85 million
Software Aid 46.03 million
Hardware Aid 28.09 million
Library Materials Aid 19.34 million
From Frances R. Roscello, Associate in School Library Media Services, Office of New York City School and Community Services, New York State Education Department
Applications and information for two awards given annually by School Library Media Specialists of Southeastern New York (SLMSSENY) can be found at http://www.slmsseny.org/awards/awards.html. The first award, the Bea Griggs Memorial Incentive Grant, is given to two school library media specialists in the seven county area (Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess) to fund programs that encourage young people to use libraries. The second award, the SLMSSENY Scholarship, provides financial incentive for education in the field of school library science. The deadline for each of these awards is February 28, 2003.
The Youth Services Section of the New York Library Association will present its 2003 Spring Conference on Friday, April 4th in Hauppauge, New York. The conference is a one-day seminar offering a variety of workshops along with keynote and luncheon speakers.
The scholarship for this conference is awarded to encourage continuing
education in the field of youth services by funding participation in this annual
YSS event. In addition to having the full conference registration fee
paid, the recipient will receive a lodging and meal allowance in an amount up to
$250.00. Two scholarships will be awarded to the 2003 Conference.
The applicant may be:
1. A graduate library school student (full or part-time) and must be
matriculated at his/her institution,
2. a practicing librarian or paraprofessional employed in New York State, or
3. involved in a related youth services field (e.g. storytelling, writing,
illustrating).
The applicant must:
1. File an application with Cindy Rasely, Chair of the Scholarship
Committee of YSS (contact information below), and
2. attach two supporting statements that indicate the
applicant's interest in
youth services.
Scholarship Deadline: March 1, 2003
To request an application contact:
Cindy Rasely
Broome County Public Library
185 Court Street
Binghamton, NY
13901
607-778-6456
crasely@co.broome.ny.us
More information about YSS scholarships can be found at http://www.nyla.org/yss/scholarships.html
The American Library Association's Spectrum Initiative has helped over 200 diverse new leaders join the profession in the past 5 years. Spectrum Scholarship recipients have been in attendance at over 40 library schools. They reside and work all across the nation in a wide array of library positions ranging from the manager of special projects, rare books and special collections for the Princeton University Library to a librarian in a Bureau of Indian Affairs school on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico.
This multi-million dollar recruitment and diversity initiative provides scholarships, mentoring, professional development and networking
opportunities to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
students pursuing a graduate degree in library and information studies. ALA's Spectrum Initiative is dedicated to improving service at the
local level through the development of a representative workforce that reflects the community served by your library and all libraries in the new millennium, please consider the following ways in which you can help
us bring diversity to life @ your library!
RECRUIT SPECTRUM APPLICANTS
ALA is currently accepting applications for the 2003-4 Spectrum Scholarships via an electronic online application. The application deadline is March 1st, 2003! Please direct interested parties to www.ala.org/spectrum for full eligibility requirements and more information. Encourage applicants to review all the ALA scholarships they may be eligible for at: http://www.ala.org/hrdr/scholarship.html. Additional resources for prospective MLIS students can be found at: http://www.ala.org/diversity/student.html. Also, contact the Spectrum Initiative at spectrum@ala.org for recruitment materials to distribute at your conferences and events.
The Westchester Library Association is making available three scholarships to support library services in Westchester to members at the 66th Annual WLA Conference on Friday, May 9, 2003. Awards will be given in three categories: Professional Category, Support Staff Category, and Second Language Category (Spanish). Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2003. Further information and an application can be found at http://www.wliba.org/2003scholar.html.
The Westchester Library Association is reinstating its award for the best School Library/Public Library Cooperative Project. This award will be presented at the 66th Annual Conference on Friday, May 9, 2003.
This award recognizes those librarians who have worked together to benefit children and young people.
Why not consider describing your collaborative efforts? The type of endeavor is limited only by your imagination. The project should have occurred between April 1, 2002 and April 12, 2003.
All applications should be completed and returned, no later than April 14, 2003 to: Westchester Library Association P. O. Box 3 Eastchester, N. Y. 10709. Further information and an application can be found at http://www.wliba.org/cooperation%20award.html.
Are you looking to motivate teens to read for the fun of it? How about this for a little motivation: "When originally presented with the idea of entering the Drive to Read contest, I thought by not being an avid reader it would be difficult to find a book that would grab my interest enough to write about it. But then I also knew I had nothing to lose, only something to gain, if only from the experience...Winning this contest has truly brought out the best in me and has been great for my self-confidence. This has proven to be such a rewarding experience and an experience I would highly encourage and hope others would 'make' the time to participate in." Kylee Nielsen, winner of the 2002 Drive to Read @ your library program, was inspired by the book "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life" by Lance Armstrong. Her library director encouraged her to enter the contest.
The Drive to Read @ your library program, sponsored by the American Library Association and Morningstar Foods Inc., maker of
HERSHEY'S Milk, is designed to promote the role of libraries and librarians by igniting interest in teen reading. It's a great opportunity to conduct
outreach to teens through your library or school library media center this semester in a fun and creative way. And it's easy to get involved:
1. Register on the Drive to Read Web site for downloadable publicity materials, as well as free posters and bookmarks that will be sent
directly to your library to promote the program.
2. Print out Drive to Read Entry Forms for your students and encourage them to participate.
3. Consider entering the 2003 "Librarians in the Driver's Seat Contest." Prizes will be awarded to the three libraries with the most compelling
local promotion.
* 1st PRIZE: A visit from 53' of chocolate. The 53-foot wall of chocolate is just a small part of a full-interactive exhibit housed in a
customized tractor-trailer. Four activity tents flanking either side of the trailer offer video game stations and traditional carnival-style
games featuring HERSHEY'S Milk and MilkShake bottles.
* 2nd PRIZE: A month's supply of HERSHEY'S Milk delivered to your library
* 3rd PRIZE: 100 Drive to Read @ your library t-shirts
This year's program challenges teens across the country to talk about their favorite literary heroes. Based on a title from the Young Adult Library Services Association's (YALSA) 2002 Best Book for Young Adults list, teens will be invited to submit an entry describing which character from the book they chose seems most heroic to them. Teens may work alone or with their peers in teams of up to four and are encouraged to be creative in their submissions. They can write an essay, monologue or poem; paint a mural; or produce a video - it's entirely up to them. Before teens send in their entry, they have to check in with their librarian to sponsor the contest entry. One lucky teen or team will win a trip to Miami in spring 2003 to meet NASCAR driver Ward Burton, program spokesperson and winner of last year's Daytona 500. If you sponsor the winning entry, you'll get to speed down to Miami too!
So join the 1,000 libraries that have already registered on Drive to Read @ your library Web site ( www.hersheysmilk.com/events/drivetoread ) and read a letter from last year's winner on how the program made such a positive impact on her life. You also can obtain the promotional tools and materials to help you put your students in the driver's seat. The program runs through March, so there is still plenty of time to get involved.
For more information about the @ your library campaign, see www.ala.org/@yourlibrary.
This is currently posted to the northnet slsa site, http://www.northnet.org/slsa. Click on Forms and Documents and you will find links to the cover and the body of the Facts at a Glance 2002 document. The cover is available with either color photo or color clip art, in Word. The body of the document is in pdf format. Copies are also available at the School Library System. Please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org.
In the January 2003 edition of "The School Administrator" is an article entitled
A Source for Better Scores? The School Library. This is the kind of
understanding and promotion this profession needs. What's even better is it was written by an assistant director of an educational leadership
school. You can find the full text online at the AASA site:
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2003_01/colPatten.htm
The SED homepage at http://www.nysed.gov has, as a news item, a link to some background information on the development of the Virtual Learning Space (VLS) - what it is and where they're going. In addition, they are providing links to a number of sources of educational resources, e.g., the websites of content developers at school districts and BOCES who received federal grants to continue this work and the Office of Cultural Education. They have also provided a feedback mechanism, which will be refined in the near future, to obtain comments from users.
They are particularly interested in hearing from teachers, librarians and other school personnel - they want to hear what we like, what we don't like, what we would like to see in the future, etc. Is the information useful? Is navigation pretty straightforward? They will share this information with the content developers and will also use it as they move forward with VLS.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day recently passed. This web site not only supplies excellent primary source material from King's speeches and biographical information, but it has a "Liberation Curriculum" which is excellent for a high school project. By running your mouse over the pictures at the site, you will see the different links. On the Liberation Curriculum picture, you can click on Lesson Plans. Once there, you are given an overview of the project. The links at the top of this page provide you with a rubric of day to day instruction information, handouts to go with the lessons, and resources (books and web links) to enrich the project. http://www.stanford.edu/group/King
The New York State Summer Institutes Office in the State Education Department is once again requesting your assistance in publicizing a very unique opportunity for high school age students within your region. As you may already know, the New York State Summer School of the Arts is comprised of eight summer residential programs which provide intensive pre-professional training with internationally acclaimed artists and artistic companies. The program is supported and sponsored by the Governor and the New York State Legislature and includes the Schools of Ballet, Choral Studies, Dance, Jazz Studies, Media Arts, Orchestral Studies, Theatre and Visual arts. The program is open to all New York State high school age students who qualify through regional auditions and tuition assistance is available based upon financial need.
Brochures that include information and applications for the eight schools are now being distributed to all public and non-public junior/senior high schools throughout the State. Even with this kind of a mass mailing, thousands of these flyers and applications will never reach the hands of the students who might apply and audition for these eight schools, especially those "at risk" students who might benefit most from this program. However, we do know that if students see general information in the library, they are more likely to apply for an audition to one of the schools. Your assistance in distributing the brochure throughout your system would be greatly appreciated. The library, as an advocate for students who are considering careers in the arts, can make a critical difference in many young lives.
Brochures are available upon request from the Summer Institutes Office: Phone: (518) 474-8773 or FAX: (518) 473-0770 or e-mail to: nysssa@mail.nysed.gov. Additional information is also available on the NYSSSA Web Site at www.emsc.nysed.gov/nysssa/.
Special format books and playback equipment: Books on tape, tape players and books in Braille are loaned free to students who are learning disabled, blind, or who have visual or physical limitations even if temporary. They are sent and returned postage-free. These same books and equipment are also free to schools that enroll these students.
A free national program: Provided by the National Library Service of the
Library of Congress, the collection offers the same range of materials found in
most public libraries. NOTE: Many books for school-required reading and
for recreation are available. The collections do not include textbooks,
which can be obtained from the source described in Section II. The books
are read and recorded by professional narrators for the Library of
Congress.
For information on sources of textbooks in special format contact:
New York State Talking Book & Braille Library
Sharon Phillips, School & Youth Services Librarian
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
518/474-5935 or 800/342-3688
tbblkids@mail.nysed.gov
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl
Textbooks on tape are available from several sources. The largest
source is:
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D)
20 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
800/221-4792 or 609/452-0606
http://www.rfbd.org
Calling all school library media centers! @ your library, The Campaign for America's Libraries is looking for great examples of how your school library media center is participating in the campaign and using the @ your library brand to help promote your programs, services and staff. Are you creating new displays, brochures, bookmarks using @ your library? Have you used the brand to highlight new programs, feature your schools' media specialists or new technology? Excellent examples will be featured in upcoming presentations and workshops and sent to American Libraries and School Library Journal.
Send a description of your @ your library involvement and any electronic photos or samples to: Megan Humphrey, Campaign Coordinator, at mhumphrey@ala.org. Phone: 800-545-2433, ext 4020. Hard copy samples should be sent to her attention c/o ALA Public Information Office, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611.
Janet Welch, State Librarian, announces the status of the Dialog @ CARL - Basic Collection offered through NY State Library's NOVEL Databases program.
The current statewide contract for Dialog @ CARL - Basic Collection online database offered through the New York State Library's NOVEL Databases (formerly EmpireLink) program will expire March 31, 2003. After March 31, 2003, due to a vendor merger, the Dialog @ CARL - Basic Collection online database will cease to exist and therefore, will no longer be available to the NOVEL Databases program from any vendor.
Dialog @ CARL - Basic Collection - available through the NOVEL Databases program since January 2000, contains approximately 300 multidisciplinary databases, including the News Collection. The News Collection consists of about 75 national and international newspapers and newswire databases including the New York Times, Newsday and Wall Street Journal. Usage statistics show a total 2800 academic, high school and public libraries used this popular collection of databases through the NOVEL Databases program.
Over the next few months, the State Library's internal NOVEL Databases committee will be investigating online products that include many or all of the most used Dialog@CARL databases. The committee will develop selection recommendations for consideration by Janet Welch, State Librarian and Dottie Hiebing, Chair of the NOVEL Steering Committee. The selection process will include, among other steps, analysis of Dialog@CARL usage statistics, analysis of results of the NOVEL Steering Committee's recent online E-resources survey, testing of various database products and/or inviting vendors to demonstrate their products.
Selection of a replacement collection of databases for Dialog@CARL is dependent on available funding. The State Library's NOVEL Databases program is the first phase in the development of the Regents Commission on Library Services vision for a New York Online Virtual Electronic Library. NOVEL is an important and visible component of the Regents Priority Budget and Legislative Proposal, New Century Libraries, and is a top priority of Commissioner Richard Mills.
NOVEL, the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library, is a powerful virtual library that gives New Yorkers full computer access to thousands of national and international newspapers and magazines, health and medical magazines and resources, valuable business and investment information, and fun and educational material for adults and youngsters - all for free via their local library. Introduced to the public this year, NOVEL opened a new era in library service, thanks to support from the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) program and the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The first of its kind in New York, NOVEL is a 'virtual library' that connects New Yorkers in every community to state-of-the-art information without regard to economic, geographic, or physical barriers. By the close of 2002, approximately 4000 libraries across the state became subscribers and offered this 21st century service to their users. 1500 of those libraries have the technological capacity to provide their users with remote access to NOVEL from their home, school, or office. Over 6,000 libraries are eligible to subscribe, but many still do not have the technological capacity to do so.
If your library is not already signed up for the databases offered through the NOVEL Databases program, contact Janet Jamal at the School Library System office at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org. Information is also available at the New York State Library website at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/emplink or call the NOVEL Databases Help Desk at 877-277-0250 to find out more information on how to register your library for participation.
Janet Welch, State Librarian, announced that the statewide contract for Gale's Health Reference Center-Academic online database offered through the New York State Library's NOVEL Databases (formerly EmpireLink) program has been extended through December 31, 2003.
Please contact Janet Jamal at (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org. for information on how to sign-up for NOVEL Databases, visit the New York State Library's website at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/emplink.
A trial has been arranged as part of a Professional Education offering. The 2 databases in this offer are: EBSCO's Professional Development Collection & ERIC. This trial is good through February 15th. To access the trial use the following link: http://search.epnet.com/userlogin.asp?user=s2939067&password=password. The combination of these 2 databases allows users to search for the information that will help them in their research or continuing education and provide full text to over 500 high quality full text education journals including: Booklist, Education, Education Digest, Education Week, Education Leadership, Journal of Education, Journal of Education Research, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Phi Delta Kappan, Reading Teacher, School Library Journal and many others. Besides the largest collection of full text education journals and the inclusion of ERIC, there are also some searching and customization features.
Visiting the Virtual Library. Four digital reference tools take research out of the stacks and onto your
desktop.
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/01/library.html
The Outstanding Service to Libraries Award is given to an individual or group who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the development and growth of library and information services to the people of New York State or of a designated library service area. The recipient may be an individual or a trustee of a library or a group with a direct affiliation with a library.
This year the Outstanding Service Award has been given to Mary Jo Ketchum for her extensive pro bono work with NYLA on its capital campaign, her sustained service as a trustee, and her extensive involvement in state and national library affairs.
The Outstanding Advocate of Libraries Award is given annually to an individual or group who has made a sustained contribution to the promotion and support of library services in New York State or in a designated library service area. The recipient may not be an employee or trustee of a library. This year the Outstanding Advocate is Senator Thomas Libous for his support of projects in the Four County Library System and his active statewide support of crucial library legislation.
The New York Library Association/Lake Placid Education Foundation Scholarship, worth $12,000, is awarded annually at the discretion of the granting agency. This year the scholarship has been awarded to Daisy Dominguez. Daisy is a student at the Palmer School of Library and Information Science and works at NYU's Bobst Library.
The 2002 President's Award has been awarded to General Code Publishers, Inc. for more than
10 years of sustained and ongoing support for the Empire Friends Roundtable.
For more information about these awards or application forms for 2003, please contact the
NYLA office or Robert Dowd, Chair, NYLA Awards Committee.
There are a number of SLMS awards with a revised January 31, 2003 deadline-the Elementary and Secondary Administrator's Awards, the Boyds Mills Press Fellow/SLMS Conference Award, the Scholarship Award and the Cultural Media Award.
For further details check out the SLMS Website at http://www.slms-nyla.org/award.html.
If you have an administrator who has been particularly supportive of your school library media program, a nomination would be an excellent way to honor his or her efforts.
The Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries announces that applications for its first grants are now available. School libraries
may request up to $5,000 to update, extend or diversify their book collections.
Information and applications are available through the Foundation website: www.laurabushfoundation.org.
Applications may be submitted on-line (preferred) or in print form. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on February 28, 2003.
Announcement of recipient libraries will be made on or before May 15, 2003.
The New York State BOCES Media Technology Association Memorial Scholarship is for $1,000 and is offered each year by the NYS BOCES Media Technology Association (NYS BMTA). The NYS BMTA is an organization within the BOCES system in New York that works to promote the use of media in an educational arena. Their members are directors of the Media Departments at their respective BOCES organizations across the State. They believe that media in education can and does make a difference in how students learn and retain what they learn. In order to encourage promising students to pursue a role in the field of instructional technology, they offer this scholarship annually.
Educational technology is defined as the use of computers and various forms of media within the educational setting. Any student at any level of their education from the senior in high school to graduate level work may apply for this scholarship. The requirements are listed on each application. Applications are due by May 1, 2003. Should you or one of your students have questions about this scholarship or the application, please do not hesitate to call Barbara Wall, Scholarship Chair, at the School Library System/Media Technology offices of the Orange-Ulster BOCES, 845-781-4360. Awards will be made by June 1, 2003.
Drawing upon the extensive rare book resources and expertise of New York City, Long Island University's Palmer School will develop a Rare Books and Special Collections concentration at the master's level to begin in the fall, 2003. The program, headed by Deirdre C. Stam, will offer specialized courses suitable for students in the M.S. in Library and Information Science program, for continuing education students pursuing credit, and for collectors and other enthusiasts of the book. This program, responding to a renewed interest among scholars and collectors in the book as aesthetic object and physical transmitter of information, is believed to be unique in the nation.
The History of the Book program will be closely allied with the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia, and will offer credit for students already enrolled in the Palmer School. Says Rare Book School founder and Director Terry Belanger about the Palmer School program, "I'm delighted both that a library school in the New York City area will once again be offering courses in this area, and that Deirdre Stam, an old friend from Columbia days, will be directing the program."
Dr. Stam will join the Palmer School faculty in the spring of 2003. The New York Center for the Book, for which Stam serves as Director, will move to the Palmer School from its current home at Syracuse University. The Center, an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book, will continue to be affiliated also with the Syracuse University Library, and with the Columbia University Libraries.
The Palmer School of Library and Information Science is part of the College of Information and Computer Science, which is headquartered at the C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, New York.
For further information about the program, contact the Palmer School at 516-299-2866 or palmer@cwpost.liu.edu.
The WLA 2003 Midwinter Conference, Libraries and the Law, taking place at Westchester Community College on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 will offer WLA members an opportunity to gather together to discuss recent legal developments that affect the entire library profession.
The conference will feature a trio of distinguished speakers. Lance King, Academic Technology Consultant for Turnitin.com, sill present A Cure for the Epidemic of Internet Plagiarism. Elizabeth Henry Klampert, the Head Librarian at the Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY and who practiced law for five years before becoming the Assistant Chief Law Librarian at White & Case in NY, will address the topic of Copyright in Libraries. Julian Burke, a member of both the New York and Massachusetts State Bar who specializes in trademark, copyright and Internet-related matters at Collen Intellectual Property Law, will speak about how to respond to challenges libraries face in these areas and will comment on various library policies now in place in New York State.
The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY in Classroom Building, Room CLA-200. The fee for this conference if $10.00 for current paid members and $15.00 for non-members. There is an additional cost of $8.00 for lunch.
For a registration form or further information about this conference see the Westchester Library Association's website at http://www.wliba.org/midwinter_conference2003_registration_form.html.
The Board of Regents is moving boldly forward with their legislative proposal New Century Libraries and their commitment to giving New Yorkers the libraries they need in the 21st century.
NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES now includes $2 million to recruit and retain a skilled library workforce for the 21st century. This includes support for training programs for library policymakers, including trustees.
NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES also includes support for NOVEL, the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library, public library construction, and need based aid for public libraries in high need communities. Support for creation of public library districts, new Public School Library Support Aid, an Academic and Research Library Initiative to strengthen New York's college and academic libraries, and better support for New York's urban public libraries are also part of NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES.
Library use has surged 20% since September 2001 as New Yorkers look more and more to their libraries for the information critical to work, business, school, and community in our information economy. In the past year, use of NOVEL - the statewide virtual library freely available to all libraries in New York State and their users - has increased a dramatic 370%.
NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES will give New Yorkers the strong libraries they need in the 21st century. Currently, more than one million New Yorkers have no local library, more than 900 school libraries and 400 public libraries lack essential services, and 63 urban communities cannot respond to the demand for library services.
With half of New York's public libraries over 60 years old and sub-standard, the estimated need for library construction and renovation tops $1 billion.
NOVEL remains only partially funded and depends upon support from temporary Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). These funds must be renewed annually. NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES will provide the ongoing state funding needed to maintain and expand NOVEL.
For more information about NEW CENTURY LIBRARIES go to www.ncl.nysed.gov, or contact Janet M. Welch, State Librarian, at 518/474-5930, email jwelch2@mail.nysed.gov.
On November 7, 2002 the NOVEL Steering Committee held a seminar that focused on NOVEL Initiative V- develop a NOVEL user interface (or portal) that integrates the services and resources brought together under NOVEL.
Approximately 60 people heard Mary Jackson, Association of Research Libraries liaison to the
ARL Scholars Portal Working Group; Ann Getman, NYS Education Department (SED), Office of
Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education; and Susan Harrison, Associate Director for
Technical and Computer Services, The New York Public Library, The Branch Libraries.
A summary of the speakers' remarks together with their PowerPoint presentations
and a digest of key points made by the five discussion groups can be found at
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/novel/portal/index.html
In 2003, the New York Library Association will be advancing a number of issues on behalf of the librarians, trustees, libraries, and library systems in this state. It is our hope that excellent library service can be available for people in every community, every school, and every college and university in New York.
NYLA will work to advance New Century Libraries, the Regents proposal which seeks $107 million in new state aid for a variety of services offered by libraries and library systems. Although some politicians predict a deficit budget year in 2003, NYLA believes in keeping alive this vision of ideal library funding. As a first step in implementing New Century Libraries, NYLA will seek funding for NOVEL.
NYLA also recognizes the importance of seeking full statutory funding of $91.3 million for libraries and systems, and an additional $200,000 in save harmless funds.
NYLA is also fully prepared to advance a constitutional mandate for library service throughout our state, and to develop a constituency to support this initiative.
More information about these priorities can be found on NYLA's website ( www.nyla.org ) or by contacting the Chair of NYLA's Legislative Committee, Jennifer Morris at jmorris@pls-net.org.
NYLA is asking all librarians and trustees to make these priorities known to the members of the New York State Senate and Assembly. Meeting with them in their local offices is a necessary first step. On March 18, NYLA will host a day of advocacy activities in Albany for members of the library community. There will be a rally at 12:30 that day on the steps of the Capitol.
The Internet filters that are most commonly used by schools and libraries successfully block most pornography while allowing access to health information -- but only if they aren't set at the most restrictive levels, according to a report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Filters set at higher levels block a substantial amount of health information, while only minimally increasing the amount of blocked pornographic content.
In the study, researchers conducted online searches of 24 health topics (including breast cancer, diabetes, depression, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases) and six pornographic terms across six different search engines. The filters did not significantly block sites with information on breast cancer, even at their most restrictive level. Sites with information on other topics were much more likely to be blocked.
The study was published in the December 11 Journal of the American
Medical Association.
See No Evil: How Internet Filters Affect the Search for Online Health Information (12/10/02; news release, executive summary, and other
background material; Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)
http://www.kff.org/content/2002/20021210a
Does Pornography-Blocking Software Block Access to Health Information on the Internet?
(12/11/02, JAMA) http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/current/rfull/jtv20005.html
In this month's issue of AASL Hotlinks you'll find exciting information about school librarians in the news and the 2003 3M Salute to Schools program. Plus, we continue our countdown to AASL's 2003 National Conference in Kansas City, Mo. For all this and more, keep reading!
Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System in collaboration with the
School Library Systems of Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES and the City of
Yonkers has been awarded a Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the
New York State Library, Division of Library Development. As a staff development
model, New Century Learning: A Collaborative Approach, provides funds to
train school librarians and K – 12 teachers how to collaboratively use the
Internet and electronic databases to educate learners for the 21st
century. The three School Library Systems will jointly provide unique staff
development opportunities: 1) to help participants learn to use new tools and
develop new skills, strategies, and knowledge needed to develop standards-based
curriculum web sites; 2) to teach participants how to use electronic databases
and Internet resources with students; 3) to develop a supportive collegial
environment online and onsite; and 4) to create a professional development model
that creates a collaborative learning environment, both real and virtual, for
school librarians and teachers, and that facilitates electronic delivery of
staff development. Pam Berger, a former school library media specialist at Byram
Hills High School and an internationally known author, editor and technology
consultant, will be the instructor. Announcements and applications have been sent to school library media
specialists, principals, and superintendents. Information sessions on the grant
will be held on November 12th at Southern Westchester BOCES, 2
Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, and repeated on November 19th at
Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, 200 BOCES Drive, Yorktown. For registration
contact Janet Jamal at the School Library System Office, (telephone) 345-8500,
ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org. Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System in collaboration with the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES School Library System was awarded a federal
grant on behalf of the Mount Vernon and Peekskill City School Districts. This
consortium is funded through No Child Left Behind legislation under Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries Program. The award is one of only ninety-four
awarded nationwide. We are the only School Library System in New York State to
receive these funds. The project focuses on improving student reading achievement by improving
library services and resources in five elementary school libraries in Mount
Vernon and Peekskill. Participating elementary school libraries are Columbus,
Holmes and Traphagen in Mount Vernon and Oakside and Woodside in Peekskill. The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office is now accepting grant applications from libraries wishing to host the
traveling panel exhibition, Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend. This new exhibit commemorates the 400th anniversary of the death of Queen
Elizabeth I of England and will encourage audiences not only to reacquaint themselves with the Queen, but also to become more familiar
with the historical and cultural forces that shaped her personality and her time and examine the mixture of history and legend that continues to
surround her today. The traveling exhibition is based on a major exhibition of the same title, which will open at the Newberry
Library of Chicago on September 30, 2003. Two copies of the exhibit will each travel to 20 libraries (for a total of 40 libraries) around the country between October 2003 and March 2006.
Each copy consists of six colorful, freestanding photo panels incorporating representations of artifacts from the Newberry's
exhibition and new text written for the exhibition by the curator, Clark Hulse, professor of English and art history at the University of
Illinois at Chicago. The sections of the traveling exhibition investigate Elizabeth's life and career as a head of state, reveal the
political workings of her court, examine the cultural and diplomatic worlds of England and Europe in the late 16th century, and explore the
legacy of Queen Elizabeth from the time of her death to today. Libraries of all types interested in hosting the exhibition can download the application and guidelines at
http://www.ala.org/publicprograms/elizabeth
or request a copy by sending an e-mail message to publicprograms@ala.org. Applications must
be received by December 20, 2002. Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend is organized by the ALA Public Programs Office and the Newberry Library with major support from the National
Endowment for the Humanities. For more information about Elizabeth I: Ruler and Legend, please visit www.ala.org/publicprograms/elizabeth . The Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of New
York at Buffalo, an ALA accredited program, will offer the following graduate courses over the Internet for the Spring 2003 semester. On Monday December 9th the two School Library Systems of Southern
Westchester BOCES and Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES will co-host an all-day
workshop, Learner-Centered Collection Development, with Dr. Jacqueline C.
Mancall as the presenter. Dr. Mancall, a past-president of the American
Association of School Librarians and a leading library educator, is a professor
in Drexel University’s College of Information Science and Technology. This workshop is aimed at enabling participants to reinterpret their
responsibilities for collection development. Collection development will be
re-imaged as a process that creates environments that reflect the
characteristics of the learner, the teaching/learning context of the school,
changes in the expanding knowledge base and partnerships with the broader
learning community. The workshop will be held on the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES campus in
Yorktown. The cost is $50.00. Registration is limited. Contact Janet Jamal at
the School Library System office, (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax)
592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org
regarding attendance and payment. On Tuesday November 26th there will be an interactive, hands-on
demonstration of online databases at the Regional Information Center, 44
Executive Blvd., Elmsford, NY 10523 (Parking is available at 2 Westchester
Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523. Get
directions) Scott Goldman from ABC-CLIO will demonstrate the use of American
History, World History, American Government, World Geography and State
Government within the curriculum. These databases have received various
awards within the last 2 years. David Armstrong will demonstrate MAPS 101. This online database is
free for the 2002 – 2003 school year for all Southern Westchester BOCES School
Library System participants. The Maps101 database provides subscription
access to history maps, interactive maps, U.S. maps, world maps, flags, atlases,
lesson plans and thousands of educational resources to support learning of
social studies, history and geography in today's classroom. Robert Karen will explain the various databases that comprise the MULTI-PALS
package and their applicability to teaching and learning. Mr. Karen will also
demonstrate the new features found in these databases, including customization,
that allows for easier searching and navigation. There will be two sessions 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM. You
may register for either session by contacting Janet Jamal at the School Library
System office, (telephone) 345-8500, ext. 122; (fax) 592-4438; or e-mail jjamal@swboces.org. On Friday, December 6th Dr. Gary Hartzell is scheduled to address
school administrators, especially principals, and school library media
specialists, on School Libraries:
Instruments for School Improvement. Dr. Hartzell will share the most recent
research on the potential school libraries and school librarians have for
increasing student achievement scores and address what it will take to realize
that potential at both the elementary and secondary school levels. Dr. Hartzell is Professor of Educational Administration at the University of
Nebraska. And author of Building Influence for the School Librarian. He
is an internationally known speaker on librarian-principal relationships,
recently spoke at the White House conference on School Libraries, is a member of
the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries and a monthly columnist for
the School Library Journal. Richard Peck, Newbery-Award winning author of A YEAR DOWN
YONDER,
and author of many well-reviewed books for children, young adults, and adults, will visit the Queens College Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
as a guest of the Reading Motivation for Children and Young Adults class on Thursday, December 5 at 6:30 in Rosenthal Library Room 230. Anyone interested in the author, reading motivation, or literature
published for children and young adults is invited. For other information, call Mary K. Chelton at (718) 997-3667. Mr.
Peck asks that members of the audience read at least one of his books before coming, if possible. He will autograph books after the talk. "New Literacies = New Lives" is the theme for the New York State Reading Association's Annual
Conference this year. It's being held Nov. 23-26, 2002 at the New York Marriot Marquis Hotel,
1535 Broadway (Times Square) in New York City. The NOVEL Steering Committee-Access to Electronic Resources Group wants to hear your library's
priorities for NOVEL Electronic Resources.
Thus far, only 62 academic libraries, 83 public libraries, 156 school libraries, 21 hospital or
health-related libraries, and 9 special libraries have responded to the Electronic Resources
Needs Assessment questionnaire.
If you haven't responded yet, please fill out a short online questionnaire at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/emplink/userneeds.htm
To get the greatest possible response, the deadline for completing the questionnaire has been
extended to November 22, 2002.
This is an opportunity for all school librarians to inform the Division of
Library Development regarding the types and specific titles of online databases relevant
to the K-12 community. In light of the CIPA decision, the ALA Council's endorsement of Privacy: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights, and the publication of
"Youth, Pornography, and the Internet," by the National Research Council, and the forthcoming report from the Electronic Frontier
Foundation http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Academic_edu/Censorware/net_block_report/20020918_eff_pr.html, Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System
members can now ask reference questions and have them answered, even if they
cannot visit the library. Patrons will be able to submit questions to qualified reference staff via a
link on the library’s web site. The question is then automatically routed to
an available staff member in the Southern Westchester BOCES School Library
System library or one at another library that participates in the Global
Reference Network. The service is very easy to use. All you do is click on the ‘Ask
a Librarian’ button, and you’re on your way. In response to
our patrons’ growing use of online resources and internet access, the Southern
Westchester BOCES School Library System has implemented this digital
reference service. We now provide reference over the web. The Southern Westchester BOCES School Library System Library provides this digital reference service through QuestionPoint, a service developed by the
Library of Congress and OCLC (Online Computer Library Center). QuestionPoint helps
libraries work together to provide authoritative answers to reference questions.
If staff at your library are unable or unavailable to answer it, the
question can be sent to experts at another library, even if those experts are
across the country or around the world. Just think about all the possibilities. If you have a question about
New Zealand, you could actually get your answer from an expert in New Zealand. Librarians may submit questions to the service via the School Library
Systems website
http://www2.lhric.org/libsys at
any time of the day or night.
Share ideas with other School Library Media Specialists in New York State. This list is provided by the
SLMS-NYLA Board as a forum designed to highlight issues important to you as a New York State educator.
Send e-mail message with your name, e-mail address and school to:
You will receive an electronic invitation to join. Simply REPLY to that
message and you will be added to the list. Email Nancy Oliver from the New York State Data Center at the address below
if you are interested in one or more of the maps. The Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program has selected the N.Y. Farm
Bureau Foundation for Agricultural Education's "Little Red Barn Collection"
as a recipient of a $3000 grant. The collection is a set of twelve of the top agricultural education resources
for K-3 students. Housed in an easily transported Little Red Barn, this collection
will be distributed to twenty community and school libraries throughout New
York State. The Little Red Barn Collection will make agricultural education resources
available to thousands of children. Parents and family members will be involved
in the choosing of materials in the set and in the reading process, thereby
increasing the number of people reached well beyond the thousands of children. Locations for the barns to be distributed will be determined through applications
http://www.nyfb.org/images/RedBarnApplication.pdf
from any and all libraries across New York State. Libraries are required to
have an agricultural event, program, or project to be eligible. Those interested
can contact the New York Farm Bureau Foundation at (518) 431-5633 for an application
http://www.nyfb.org/images/RedBarnApplication.pdf
and more information. Contact: NYFB Foundation @ 1-800-342-4143 or visit the web site @
http://www.nyfb.org/foundation/GrantReceived.htm for more information. The Mohawk Valley Library System is pleased to announce the creation of a
resource for readers, the BookTalk Website. It can be found at www.mvla.org/booktalk/. This site is filled with links to information about book reviews, authors,
“If you like…” lists, book discussion guides, publishers, genre fiction, series
information, young adult interests and much more. There are several unique features. Be sure to try the built-in Google searches
for authors, book reviews, book discussion guides, or "read alike" book lists
if you can’t find what you’re looking for. The site also features a section
specifically for librarians and a list of Staff Picks by member libraries’
staff in the Book Lists section. The creation of BookTalk is supported by Federal Library Services and Technology
Act funds, awarded to the Mohawk Valley Library System through the New York
State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. Please take a look at firstfind.info. This new online library provides information
in English for low and intermediate level adult readers. The website (www.firstfind.info)
can be used to access information on such topics as: thegateway.org ( http://www.thegateway.org
) is a fantastic lesson plan & educational resource site, easily searchable
by subject and grade level. The free "Scenic Byways" guide can be ordered from the Adirondack North
Country Association from the website http://www.nybyways.com
or by calling 1-866-692-9929 toll-free. Additional information is also available
online, including maps and recipes. This site puts census data in interesting formats. CensusScope: Your Portal
to Census 2000 Data http://www.censusscope.org The Department for City Planning's Web site is a resource for demographic
data by borough and community district. This site is specific to NYC. NYC
Department of City Planning http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/subcats/resources.html Keep an eye on the Migration Policy Institute's Web site http://www.migrationpolicy.org,
apparently they will soon be issuing some maps related to demographics by
ethnicity. In the meantime, they do have a comprehensive web site, you may
want to check it out. (Make sure you have macromedia flash and click on each letter) (from Barbara Feldman’s http://www.surfnetkids.com
newsletter) This alphabet site is actually an interactive game. The Adirondack Museum has a good site about the history of the area. ...is a site for teachers and students across New York State, developed
by the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, New York, to aid in the study
of state and local history. The site is rich with primary sources and historical records from the archival
collections of the museum. The site also includes narrative units about Adirondack history. You will
find information about Adirondack guides, the timber industry, the establishment
of the Adirondack Park, the lives of Adirondack women in the nineteenth century
and much more. Each history unit is illustrated with historic photographs
or ephemera from the collections of the Adirondack Museum. Here is a very good literacy site just developed that is affiliated with
Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. If you are here for the first time you will not have noticed
the changed look of our website, but if this is not your first time in the School
Library System website you may think that you got lost. There are a few
things which are new to the site other than just how it looks. Obviously
the biggest change is the design of the site, but along with that is what we
hope is a more easily navigable site. You can still get to the Library
of Congress "Today in History" site, and if you are interested in
seeing some other school's website, you can get to a list of the Southern Westchester
public school sites from our home page as well. We also have a link to
a collaborative, virtual reference service, Ask A Librarian, which is described
in more detail below. We hope that you find the new site useful and easy
to use. QuestionPoint's "Ask A Librarian" collaborative
virtual reference service was developed by the Library of Congress and OCLC
with the assistance of participating members of the Global Reference Network
including METRO. You can use the "Ask A Librarian" form to
refer reference questions through the School Library System of BOCES Southern
Westchester to a global web-based network and receive an answer back by e-mail. The National Endowment for the Humanities has a Schools for
a New Millennium program to help K-12 schools improve the teaching of humanities
subjects. U.S. libraries of all types are invited to apply for a $4,000
National Library Week Grant for the best library promotion/public awareness
campaign during National Library Week (April 6-12, 2003) that promotes the
role librarians play in the 21st century. The grant is sponsored by Scholastic
Library Publishing and administered by the Public Awareness Committee of the
American Library Association (ALA). This year's application deadline is October
15, 2002. This is the first year that the Grolier Grant specifically will
focus on the work of librarians. In doing so, the grant supports The Campaign
for America's Libraries' goal of promoting librarianship as a profession and
also ties into ALA President Mitch Freedman's year-long initiative, The Campaign
for America's Librarians, which focuses on better salaries and pay equity.
The Youth Services Section of the New York Library Association
has named Jerry Pinkney the recipient of the 2002 Empire State Award for Excellence
in Literature for Young People. An Award Luncheon honoring Mr. Pinkney
will be held on Friday, October 25, during the Association's annual conference
in Buffalo.
First awarded in 1990, the Empire State Award is given to
a New York author or illustrator to honor a significant body of work in the
field of literature for young people.
Long recognized as one of the most talented of contemporary
illustrators for children, Mr. Pinkney has been illustrating children's books
since 1964. He has the rare distinction of being the recipient of four
Caldecott Honor Medals, awarded in 2000 for The Ugly Duckling, in
1995 for John Henry, in 1990 for The Talking Eggs, and in
1989 for Mirandy and Brother Wind. He has won the Coretta Scott
King Award a record five times, most recently for Goin' Someplace Special
published in 2001. He has been internationally praised for the technical
excellence of his illustrations as well as his unique ability to tell a story
through his art. Apply now for the National Geographic Society Education Foundation's Grosvenor
Grants to support projects for kindergarten through 12th grade. Nonprofit
organizations may apply for these grants ranging from $50,000 to $70,000.
Applications may be submitted online at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/foundation
by Sept. 16, 2002. For more information, call (202) 857-7186 or (800) 638-6400,
ext. 7186. The PG&E National Energy Group is now accepting applications for their
Environmental Education Grant Program, which supports innovative projects
that encourage and support environmental education for young people. Elementary,
middle, and high schools and nonprofit organizations are eligible for these
grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. The deadline for this grant is Sept.
30, 2002. For additional information, e-mail
grants@neg.pge.com or visit http://www.neg.pge.com. America's Promise is distributing free magazines for kids, courtesy of Alliance
Partner Magic Window. Designed specifically to fit into the hands of a young
reader, this children's magazine is an educational tool with plenty of lively
illustrations and fun activities. It is also a perfect way for parents and
kids to read together and discuss various topics. Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first serve
basis so request your free copies today by e-mailing
APBeditor@americaspromise.org. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, offers professional
development classes which are appropriate for educators in K-12, library media
specialists and other individuals who are concerned with passing on our literary
heritage to youth. For more information you can call (732) 932-7169
or visit the website at http://scils.rutgers.edu/pds/
. For information on taking an online course, you can visit the website
at http://rutgersonline.net. St. John's University, The School of Education, in conjunction with the New
York State Education Department Intensive Teacher Institute (NYSED-ITI-BSE)
is offering financial assistance to Public School Special Education Teachers,
Speech Teachers/Pathologists, School Counselors and School Psychologists working
with ELLs contingent upon funding and eligibility, toward certification in: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Fall 2002 - St. John's, Queens Campus or Westchester site
TBA For further details, ITI application
and schedule, please immediately contact: Dr. John Spiridakis, Professor and Coordinator or Ivette Matias, Director of BETAC, Southern Westchester BOCES Anyone searching for current New York State law and regulations pertaining
to libraries, library systems, trustees, and librarians in New York State
can now access this information quickly on the New York State Library's website
at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/excerpts/ The ALA needs several really good examples for press releases,
editorials, letters to the editor, talks, etc. Please send information
on what you are planning. Are you planning to display banned books in
a unique way? Are you planning on conducting a read-a-thon in which
students read passages from banned books? Are you planning on discussing
the dangers of suppressing books and ideas? Whatever you plan on doing,
the ALA would like to hear about it, so they can share your ideas with others. Promote your event to local media, and share your plans with
ALA by contacting the ALA at oif@ala.org
For details on Banned Books Week 2002, see http://www.ala.org/bbooks/ "Heart of Art: New York State" frequent visitor passports
are available for distribution. This passport program encourages people to
visit art museums throughout the State and focuses on two uniquely New York
artistic styles, the Hudson River School and the New York School. The promotion,
which runs until November 10, offers eligible passport holders the opportunity
to attend exciting events at art museums throughout New York State on November
9 and 10. For more information visit www.manyonline.org
or www.iloveny.com.
If you are interested in distributing passports at your library,
please e-mail Cynthia Cromie at ccromie@capital.net
and specify your mailing address, phone number and the number of passports
that you can distribute. Thank you. On June 26, 2002, the NOVEL Steering Committee convened its
2nd meeting. At that meeting, The Access to Electronic Resources Group, one
of the five subgroups of the Steering Committee, agreed that an important
first step in determining recommendations for affordable statewide access
to commercial electronic resources was to conduct a brief needs assessment
of the library community in New York State. This is an opportunity for school
librarians to make their voices heard. METRO is pleased to announce new updates to the METRO Online
Digitization Information Clearinghouse (MODIC). We invite you to visit MODIC
at http://www.metro.org/modic. The Internet is an amazing resource for information and entertainment.
Children learn how to use computers and the Internet almost as soon as they
go to school. In fact, children often know far more about computers and the
Internet than parents do because parents have fewer opportunities to learn
about computers and the Internet unless it is required in the workplace. Do you invite authors to visit your school? How about
a nonfiction author for a change? Did you know that Vicki Cobb is a
local author?
Vicki Cobb's SCIENCE SURPRISES is a highly entertaining fast-paced,
one-woman show that is guaranteed to captivate kids and their teachers. She
answers the question, "Why science, anyhow?" by showing how our
senses and experiences limit how much we can learn of the universe and that
science is a way of getting past our limitations. Instead of showing the audience
the world of science, Vicki invites the audience to discover the science in
their world. Everyone in the audience experiences illusions and individuals
participate in doing irresistible challenges from in her best- selling books
BET YOU CAN! and BET YOU CAN'T! These award-winning science
books were entertaining enough to grant Vicki an appearance on Late Night
with David Letterman and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee. Most importantly,
Vicki's program gets kids excited and enthusiastic about science and creates
many openings for teachers to follow-up on.
Contact Vicki Cobb at (914) 949-1104 or visit her website
at http://www.vickicobb.com. Here is a new website, http://www.big6.com/
with all of the Big 6 materials of Mike Eisenberg, Dean of the University
of Washington Information School, and Bob Berkowitz, an Adjunct Instructor
at Syracuse University's School of Information Studies, and Visiting Lecturer
at State University of New York at Buffalo's School of Information and Library
Studies. Big 6 materials include the newsletter, model lesson plans,
Big 6 for early elementary students, and other relevant information. National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/size.cfm
Surfing the Net with Kids at http://www.surfnetkids.com
Web-Pop online Books at http://www.web-pop.com/bookpopchooser.html
The Educators Portal at http://www.educatorsportal.com
NSDC's Technology Standards at http://www.nsdc.org/e-learning.pdf
Teaching Tips at http://www.teachingtips.com/articles.html Highlights from
the July 1, 2002-No. 13 and July 16, 2002-No.14 BUILDING THE CITY - DIGITALLY TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS HELP WITH NCLB PLANNING DIGITAL DIVIDE DEBATE CONTINUES SALLY RIDE REACHES OUT TO GIRLS CHILDREN USE COLORS AND PATTERNS TO COMPOSE
MUSIC CIPA DECISION GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT * Take A Varied Approach to Assessment * Digital Photos Online * Getting Administrators Up to Speed
E-mail zellerp@mail.nih.gov
to sign up.)
AASL Newsletter
Excerpts
(Excerpts from: AASL HOTLINKS: The Official Monthly E-mail Newsletter of the
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Vol. 1, No. 9 December 2002)
AASL TO AGAIN SELECT SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE 3M DETECTION SYSTEMS
For the fourth consecutive year, 3M*, in cooperation with AASL, will donate $1.5 million in 3M Detection Systems to
approximately 100 middle and high school library media centers in the U.S. in 2003 through the 3M Salute to
Schools program. Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2003.
For more information, including eligibility guidelines and application, go to http://www.ala.org/aasl/3msalute.html
COUNTDOWN TO KANSAS CITY: INFORMATION MATTERED FOR SECOND GENERAL SESSION PANELISTS
The countdown to the AASL 11th National Conference and Exhibition, October 22-26, 2003 in Kansas City, Mo.
continues! Each month, AASL Hotlinks will bring you important and exciting information about this biennial,
must-attend event.
You may not immediately recognize their names but once you hear their stories you'll never forget them. Anna Rosmus,
Patrick Douglas Crispin and Shannon Lanier will recount how they each tenaciously searched for truth that enabled
them to succeed despite the obstacles.
Don't miss this panel of inspiring speakers at the second general session of the AASL 11th National Conference and
Exhibition, scheduled for Saturday, October 25, 2003 at 8-9:30AM.
Read more at http://www.ala.org/aasl/kc/news/second.html
ALA PUTS MEDIA SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOL LIBRARIANS
ALA and AASL have successfully captured the media spotlight and trained it on the need for librarians--particularly in
schools--with stories ranging from the Denver Post to the Orlando Sentinel. The stories highlight not only the need
for more school library media specialists, but the value they bring to their school communities and the need to
compensate them appropriately.
Read more at http://www.ala.org/news/v8n15/mediaspotlight.html
Links to some of the recent stories that feature school library media specialists can be found at
http://www.ala.org/pio/schoolstories.html
When reading these stories online, AASL encourages you to take advantage of "feedback" and "contact us" tools on each
newspaper's Web site to let the reporters and editors know you appreciate these stories and emphasize how important it
is that their readers understand the critical role that school librarians and library media programs play in the
education of children.
You should also contact your own local newspapers and encourage them to cover school libraries in your area. Be
sure to forward such stories to AASL (aasl@ala.org) when
they are published.
C-SPAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM NOW OPEN TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MEDIA SPECIALISTS
Every year, the C-SPAN Education Foundation and the cable industry offer the Middle & High
School Teacher Fellowship to teachers (and now media specialists) who have demonstrated
creative use of C-SPAN in the classroom. The Fellows go to Washington, D.C. for four weeks to work with
members of C-SPAN's Community Relations Department to develop print, video and online materials for the classroom.
You can read more about the Middle & High School Teacher Fellowship Program at
http://www.c-span.org/classroom/opportunities/#fellowship
For application information for the 2003 fellowship program please contact C-SPAN in the Classroom at
educate@c-span.org
THE AASL HOTLIST
Check out these useful Web resources...
AASL Awards for 2003
http://www.ala.org/aasl/awards.html
--$54,000 in awards, grants and scholarships available from AASL in 2003. The deadline to apply for the 2003 awards, grants and scholarships is February 3, 2003, unless otherwise stated. Applications for many of the awards are available on this webpage; all are available from the AASL office.
Cable in the Classroom
http://www.ciconline.org --Cable in the Classroom has launched a new Web site that features the combination of technology and video and online content that teachers, parents and other educators can use to engage students in learning, to enrich the professional lives of teachers and to reinforce learning at home.
ALA 2003 Midwinter Meeting
http://www.ala.org/events/midwinter2003
--Official Web site of the 2003 Midwinter Meeting in
Philadelphia, Pa., January 24-29, 2003. The exhibition will take place from January 24-27, 2003 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
ALA Handbook of Organization 2002-2003
http://www.ala.org/handbook --ALA is pleased to make an electronic version of the ALA Handbook of Organization available for the first time. The contents are arranged by organizational unit, and
bookmarks assist you in locating specific ALA units. An index appears at the end of the Handbook, and the text is also searchable using the "Find" feature.
Your Professional Development Update
http://www.ala.org/aasl/calendar.html
--Handy calendar of events for AASL and its state and regional affiliate organizations.
Copyright (c) 2002 American Library Association
Future Events
Events to put on your calendar for the months ahead
SLMSSENY
Spring Conference
Literacy: the Driving Force, at Fishkill Holiday Inn on April 4, 2003
The Great New
York ReadAloud
April 9, 2003
SLMS Spring Conference
To be held in Saratoga Springs, NY - May 1-3, 2003
October/November News
Awards, Grants and Scholarships
Library Related Courses
Events
Legislation
Public Service Announcements
Interesting Websites
Awards, Grants and Scholarships
SCHOOL LIBRARY SYSTEM AWARDED TWO GRANTS
Grant Applications from ALA for Hosting of "Elizabeth I: Ruler and
Legend"
Library Related Courses
University of New York at Buffalo
Spring Semester courses will be offered January 13 - April 28, 2003
Spring 2003 registration begins October 26, 2002
LIS 519 - Selection, Acquisition and Management of Non-Book Materials
LIS 581 - Management of Libraries and Information Agencies
LIS 584 - Academic and Research Libraries
See the Distance Learning Web Page for cost and online registration details:
http://www.sis.buffalo.edu/faculty/ellison/distance.html
See link to course descriptions at:
http://www.sis.buffalo.edu/faculty/ellison/ellison.html
Persons with questions regarding the above courses should contact:
Dr. John Ellison at johnwellison@yahoo.com
Events
Three Workshops
Learner-Centered Collection Development
ABC-CLIO, MAPS 101 and MULTI-PALS
School Libraries: Instruments for School
Improvement
Richard Peck to Speak on December 5
New York State Reading Association's Annual Conference
For more information, go to: www.nysreading.org
To register online, see www.specialevents.buffalo.edu/nysareg.shtml
Legislation
Electronic Resources Needs Assessment
YOUR OPINION MATTERS!!
Libraries & the Internet Toolkit Updated
the Libraries & the Internet Toolkit has been updated. Please review the updated Toolkit, which can be found at
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/internettoolkit.html
The PDF version is available at
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/2002toolkit.pdf
The DOC version is available at
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/2002toolkit.doc
The RTF version is available at
http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/2002toolkit.rtf
Public Service Announcements
Have a question? Ask your librarian online
JOIN N.Y.S. SLMS Listserv!
joinlist@slms-nyla.org
slms(dash)nyla
joinlist@slmy-nyla.org
American Indian and Alaska Natives Map of the United States
The Census Bureau now has the American Indian and Alaska Natives Map of the United States. This map is 48x36 inches. This map
shows the population of American Indian and Alaska Natives for the nation.
The map also contains charts with:
Nancy Oliver
Program Research Specialist
Empire State Development
e-mail: noliver@empire.state.ny.us
Empire State Development & NY State Data Center Web Sites:
http://www.empire.state.ny.us
Voice: (518) 292-5300
Fax: (518) 292-5806
The Youth Services Section of NYLA announces its latest publication!
Are you searching for a new idea for dinner, party refreshments, or kids'
treats? How about Fell's Asparagus Pasta, Piggy's Polka-Dot Cake, Ice Storm
Soup, Mesozoic Meatball Mouthfuls, or Wee Willie Winkie's Candle Salad? Perhaps
Blueberry Soup, Chicken Pizza, Maple Baked Beans, Triple Chocolate Hazelnut
Truffles, Confederate Cornbread, or Sweet and Sour Beet Salad sound just right.
You can find the recipes for these and other tasty treats in Stir Up Some
Fun With YSS, the latest publication of the New York Library Association's
Youth Services Section. This cookbook, sure to appeal to cooks and non-cooks
alike, contains over 165 recipes from youth services librarians and consultants,
school library media specialists, and New York State authors and illustrators
of books for youth. The publication also features twenty-six food-related
youth services programming ideas from librarians around the state.
Published in a convenient loose-leaf binder format, the cookbook opens flat
for easy use. Pages can easily be removed so program pages can be taken to
work, or additional note pages can be added. The book's format makes it convenient
to use in the kitchen or the library. Many of these ideas can be adapted for
Scout and other youth groups, making it a great gift for a wide audience.
If you missed the NYLA conference in Buffalo in October, copies are available
for $15.00 by mail but will have an added shipping charge (plus 8% sales tax
for personal copies). For more information on ordering a copy of Stir
Up Some Fun With YSS, contact Janet Kreason, Children's Librarian, Roswell
P. Flower Memorial Library, Watertown 315 788 2352 or Karen Hultz, Branch
Manager/ Assistant Director, Irondequoit Public Library/Helen McGraw Branch
585 336 6061.
Foundation Receives $3000 grant for "Little Red Barns"
Interesting
Websites
Mohawk Valley Library System BookTalk Website
WESTCHESTER LIBRARY SYSTEM SEEKS INPUT FOR FIRSTFIND.INFO
Community Resources
Health and Housing
Immigration
Jobs
Family Issues
Education
And much more.....
Firstfind.info has been funded by two grants (FY 2002 and FY 2003) from the
Federal Library Services and Technology Act awarded to the New York State
Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. It was produced
through a collaboration of librarians from the Westchester Library System,
The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Borough Public
Library and the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services of the American
Library Association.
Firstfind.info is hosted and maintained by the Westchester Library System
(WLS); Robin Osborne is project coordinator ( rosborne@wlsmail.org
).
Firstfind.info is a virtual public library. Upon entering, the searcher will
have access to websites which are evaluated by library professionals for interest,
timeliness, authority, reading level, ease of navigation and design. Help
screens are available for new web users and there is navigation assistance,
an online dictionary and a response form.
WLS's Robin Osborne hopes that librarians will become familiar with firstfind
in their daily reference/referral work. As of November, 2002 information on
firstfind's development will be available at www.ala.org/olos.
Osborne reports that designers are now developing a second tier of information
for firstfind that will post links to local resources in subject areas, with
the long-range goal of making information available and relevant to communities
across the U.S.
The idea is piloted in the Computers and Technology section in the subcategory
"Find Computer Classes in Your Community". The user chooses a state and city
or county in order to search for classes. There are currently links to resources
in the NYC metro area, Albany and Buffalo available. All of these websites
meet criteria consistent with the project's goal to serve adults with low
and moderate reading skills.
HOW LIBRARIANS CAN HELP IN FIRSTFIND'S DEVELOPMENT
Right now Westchester Library System is collecting information about free
or low cost computer instruction. If you know of websites which have established
criteria similar to fristfind.info (accessible reading level, etc) please
help by submitting the url's to WLS via email to: rosborne@wlsmail.org.
For websites which do not meet firstfind's reading level and other criteria,
you may submit the information by completing the survey form found at www.firstfind.info/subform.html.
WLS is excited about the potential of firstfind.info and it's coming national
scope. Osborne wants librarians to know that their input is critical to the
development of firstfind.info and very much appreciated.
For more information please contact Robin Osborne, Outreach and Adult Services
Consultant, Westchester Library System, (914) 231-3237, rosborne@wlsmail.org.
thegateway.org
Scenic Byways
Featured routes include the Adirondack Trail, the Cayuga Lake Byway, the Locks
to Lakes Passage, the North Fork Trail, the Seaway Trail, and the Upper Delaware
Scenic Byway.
"This is a product of a New York State Scenic Byways Program project managed
by the Adirondack North Country Association, funded by the Federal Highway
Administration and administered by the New York State Department of Transportation."
Demographic Questions
Bembo's Zoo
http://www.bemboszoo.com
"A is for antelope, B is for Bison, C is for crab." An amazing typographic
adventure awaits you at Bembo's Zoo, as you watch each letter of the alphabet
transform into a wild animal right before your eyes and ears. This Flash animation
for all ages is based on the book of the same name, by graphic artist Roberto
de Vicq de Cumptich. Don't miss it!
Another Alphabet Site
http://www.orgdot.com/abc
This alphabet game first requires recognition of each letter, and then you
make the letter by clicking on lines which move into place. This game
is not for people who are easily frustrated, but for others it is a lot of
fun.
Adirondack History
http://www.adirondackhistory.org
http://www.adirondackhistory.com
http://www.adirondackhistory.net
The following is a quote from their web page.
A Very Good Literacy Site
http://www2.edc.org/literacymatters
September News
New Happenings on the SLS Website
Awards, Grants and Scholarships
Library Related Courses
Legislation
Public Service Announcements
Interesting Websites
TechLearning News
New Happenings
on the SLS Website
Ask A Librarian
Awards, Grants
and Scholarships
National Endowment for the Humanities, Schools for a New Millennium
A variety of organizations are eligible applicants, including schools, museums,
libraries, etc. More information is available at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/milschools.html
National Library Week Grant
The Campaign for America's Libraries, is a five-year public awareness effort
sponsored by ALA to speak loudly and clearly about the value of libraries
and librarians in the 21st century. The campaign officially launched to the
public during National Library Week 2001 (April 1-7) at a kickoff event in
Washington, D.C., featuring First Lady Laura Bush. Proposals must incorporate
the @ your library* brand. Libraries are encouraged to be as imaginative and
inventive as possible in developing a local campaign or program for National
Library Week that reflects the work that librarians do on behalf of their
users. For example, libraries might wish to celebrate the role of librarians
as in the Information Age with "The Ultimate Search Engine @ your library*"
or with "Information Experts @ your library*." Libraries might also wish
to recognize those librarians who are active on campus, in their schools or
community with "Heroes @ your library." The brand, which is open-ended
and provides lots of room for creativity, should be used on any and all promotional
and publicity material to support National Library Week.
An application form and guidelines are available at http://www.ala.org/pio/nlw/grolierapp.doc.
They are also available from the ALA Public Information Office. Telephone:
800-545-2433, ext. 4020. E-mail: mhumphrey@ala.org.
The winner will be notified at the end of December and announced at the 2003
ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Information on last year's winner,
the Omaha Public Library, and the winning application can be viewed at http://www.ala.org/@yourlibrary/pressreleases.cfm#omaha.
For more information about The Campaign for America's Libraries, visit the
campaign's Web site at http://www.ala.org/@yourlibrary
.
2002 Empire State Award for Excellence in Literature for Young People
Grants Information from the Council on Children & Families
Grosvenor Grants
Environmental Education
Free Kids' Magazine
Library Related
Courses
Professional Development Credit Classes at Rutgers
Tuition Scholarship Incentive
or Bilingual Education Extension
(15-18 credits will be funded).
Graduate Programs in TESOL and Bilingual Education
Tel: (718) 990-6407 E-mail: spiridaj@stjohns.edu
Tel: (914) 345-8500 E-mail: imatias@swboces.org
Legislation
Searching NYS Law and Regulations Relating to Libraries Just Got Easier!
Current as of 2002, this new interactive web resource makes components of
the State Library publication Excerpts from New York State Education Law,
Regulations of the Commissioner of Education pertaining to Libraries, Library
Systems, Trustees and Librarians available in a user friendly and easy
to navigate web tool for users. This interactive site supercedes the 1995
print version and the FTP files of the Excerpts document that have been on
the State Library website since 1995.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this new web resource, please
contact Corey Fleming, Education Assistant, Division of Library Development,
New York State Library at cfleming@mail.nysed.gov
or 518-486-5252.
Public Service
Announcements
What is Your Library Planning for Banned Books Week 2002?
Heart of Art: New York State
Electronic Resources Survey
The Access to Electronic Resources Group is focusing on developing a process
that will: assist the State Library in determining the future priorities for
the State/Federal funded NOVEL/EmpireLink Databases and identify electronic
resource priorities by type of library that will lead to statewide licensing
arrangements offering group volume discounts to these priority resources/databases.
The NOVEL Steering Committee is requesting that libraries across the State
complete this brief questionnaire at
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/emplink/userneeds.htm and submit it
no later than October 1, 2002.
Thank you for your participation in this important survey.
Regional Digitization Project Update
MODIC is the final stage, fully integrated component of METRO's Regional Digitization
Initiative (MRDI), a LSTA-sponsored project. Newly updated information available
now includes the results of a regional digitization survey, the multimedia
webcast of a day-long METRO digitization symposium, and symposium presentation
slides. Information from METRO's digitization vendor showcase, along with
descriptions of vendors and the URL link to vendors' websites, is also available
on MODIC. Of note is a keyword searchable web interface for a comprehensive
digitization vendor database. In addition, a selective digitization web resource
is under development and will be a part of MODIC soon.
For more information on METRO's Regional Digitization Initiative (MRDI) and
the development of MODIC, please contact Xuemao Wang, Director of IT at 212-228-2320
or xwang@metro.org.
Interesting
Websites
Parents As Internet Partners Website
The Parents As Internet Partners website ( http://www.nassaulibrary.org/valleyst/PAIPHome.htm
) was developed by the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library to educate parents
about the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) and the effective use of its
resources. With such instruction, parents can be active, positive participants
in their child's use of the Internet and educational pursuits.
The website begins with a brief introduction and contains different topics
to select and review on the parent’s own pace before moving onto the next
topic. We have tried to make a user-friendly website and have avoided technical
explanations, etc. In some sections, there are links to additional Internet
resources if parents require more details or information on a topic.
This instructional website was funded by a 2001/2002 Parent & Child Library
Services Grant from the New York State Education Department awarded to the
Henry Waldinger Memorial Library, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. For
further information, contact Assistant Director Mamie Eng at (516) 825-6422
or e-mail to hwmlcontact@hotmail.com.
The library has also published an instructional booklet to accompany the website.
To request a copy of the booklet, send a stamped (60c), self-addressed 6”x9”
envelope, with your request to: Mamie Eng, Assistant Director, Henry Waldinger
Memorial Library, 60 Verona Place, Valley Stream, NY 11582.
Vicki Cobb's Science Surprises
The Big 6
More Interesting Websites
TechLearning News
Technology & Learning and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN).
A new public art project in Ohio encourages children to collaborate on re-designing
their city. Using digital cameras as their primary tools, the children work
in a remodeled bus outfitted with computers. Source: Wired News http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,53134,00.html?tw=wn_ascii
State and local technology planners who intend to apply for funding through
the "Enhancing Education with Technology Program," established by the 2002
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, now have an important free tool to help with
their applications. The Northeast and Islands Regional Technology Consortium,
or NEIRTEC, created a series of Technology Briefs for state and local NCLB
planners. The topics of these Technology Briefs were selected to reflect the
U.S. Department of Education requirements for state and local applications,
and they provide NCLB planners with effective strategies, key questions to
consider, and selected resources that will inform the application and planning
process. Topics include: strategies for improving academic achievement and
teacher effectiveness; parental involvement; professional development; and
accountability measures. The 60-page information packet can be downloaded
at http://www.neirtec.org/products/techbriefs/default.asp
Evidence is mounting that, while the gap between those who have access to
computer and Internet technology and those who do not is narrowing, a significant
divides still exist between high and low income households, among different
racial groups, between states, and rural and urban households.
Bringing A Nation Online: The Importance of Federal Leadership -- documents
the necessity of continued federal leadership to expand digital opportunities
for people in underserved communities. Published by the Leadership Conference
on Civil Rights Education Fund and the Benton Foundation, the study offers
evidence that America has a long way to go before the digital divide is bridged.
It uses state-by-state analyses to demonstrate the way in which federal grants
encourage partnerships and help to leverage additional investments in states
and local communities. The report profiles two important federal programs
that help enhance access: the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), administered
by the Department of Commerce; and the Community Technology Center (CTC) initiative,
administered by the Department of Education. Both are slated for elimination
in the Bush administration's 2003 budget. The full report is online at http://www.digitalempowerment.org
The Children's Partnership's "Online Content for Low-Income and Underserved
Americans: An Issue Brief" is an update to the comprehensive analysis released
in March 2000. The report looks at the extent to which the Internet today
includes information and applications that meet the needs of the estimated
50 million Americans who have low incomes, limited-literacy or language skills,
or other special needs. Expanded Internet access from locations outside the
home -- schools, libraries, and community technology programs -- has increased
underserved populations' ability to access the Internet. What continues to
be missing is relevant information in formats that are easy to use and understand.
The full Issue Brief can be found at http://www.contentbank.org/ataglance_issuebrief.asp
"Connecting Kids to Technology: Challenges and Opportunities," from the Annie
E. Casey Foundation, examines the demographics of the digital divide, discusses
some implications of current trends, and highlights a few efforts to bridge
the divide and provide a level playing field for all children. As computer
ownership has become more affordable, families with children are more likely
than ever to own a computer and be connected to the Internet. The Snapshot
points out while all boats are rising, poor and minority kids are playing
catch-up to their more affluent, white peers - both at home and in the classroom.
Further, while technical infrastructure is critical, basic training is also
necessary to remove barriers - such as low levels of literacy and lack of
computer experience - that hinder effective use of technology by underserved
youth. The report can be found at
http://www.aecf.org/publications/pdfs/snapshot_june2002.pdf
Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, is concerned about the ongoing
underepresentation of women in most technical professions. To help address
the problem, Ride founded Imaginary Lines with the mission of supporting and
sustaining girls' natural interests in science and technology. Source: Sally
Ride Science Clubs http://www.imaginarylinesinc.com/index.html
Tod Machover set out to make it easy for his young daughter to compose music,
much as she wrote stories and drew pictures. The resulting piece of software,
called Hyperscore, translate patterns, textures and colors drawn on a computer
screen into pleasing and variable sounds. Source: The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/27/arts/music/27ARTS.html
The Justice Department has notified the Supreme Court that it plans to appeal
the U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that struck down the Children's Internet
Protection Act (CIPA). CIPA required public libraries to install filters on
computers that access the Internet to prevent children from viewing pornography.
Filtering opponents are confident that if the Supreme Court decides to hear
the case, it will uphold the ruling, which found CIPA unconstitutional because
the filtering programs also blocked constitutionally protected speech. Public
schools and school libraries are still subject to CIPA. The American Libraries
Association, a plaintiff in the original suit, maintains a CIPA information
site at http://www.ala.org/cipa/
Using assessment strategies as part of professional development can build confidence
and enthusiasm among teachers and ultimately support the student program. http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/bbassess.htm
This article describes several ways to share digital photographs with others
on the Internet, using free online services and software available to all
educators connected to the information superhighway. http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/wesphoto.htm
What kinds of projects are being developed to help school leaders guide with
technology? We take a look at three models programs from across the nation.
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2002/06/speed.html
School Library System, BOCES Southern Westchester, 2 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523
Phone: (914) 345-8500 Fax: (914) 347-7304
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