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  • Now Accepting Nominations: ASCLA Awards

    28 Sep 2012 11:04 AM | Deleted user
    From the ALA Chapter Relations Office:

    The nomination period is now open for annual awards offered by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) a division of ALA! The deadline for nominations is Dec. 15, 2012.
     
    These awards collectively represent ASCLA's diverse areas of member interest and engagement: library services to people with disabilities; the advancement of library services for the blind and physically handicapped; extension and outreach services; and consulting, state library services and library cooperatives.
     
    Access the ASCLA awards webpage for more information about each award and links to nomination forms for each award: http://www.ala.org/ascla/asclaawards/default.

     
    AWARDS:
          
    • ASCLA/KLAS/NOD Award: a $1,000 award and citation given to a library organization for an innovative and well-organized project that successfully developed or expanded services for people with disabilities.
    • Francis Joseph Campbell Award: honors a person or institution for outstanding and significant contributions to library services for the blind.
    • Exceptional Service Award: recognizes exceptional service to patients, to persons who are homebound, to people of all ages who live in group homes or residences and to inmates, as well as to recognize professional leadership, effective interpretation of programs, pioneering activity and significant research or experimental projects.
    • Leadership and Professional Achievement Award: a citation presented to one or more ASCLA members (personal or organizational) exemplifying leadership and achievement in the following areas: consulting, library cooperation, networking, statewide services and programs and state library development.
    • Cathleen Bourdon Service Award: a citation presented to an ASCLA personal member for exceptional service and sustained leadership to the division

  • Final Days to Register for the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services Conference

    28 Sep 2012 10:16 AM | Deleted user
    Join the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services Annual Conference in Richmond, VA for their conference "Thinking Outside the Walls," October 10-12, 2012!

    The keynote speaker will be Dr. Gary Fountain, rector at Chatham Hall in Virginia, and author. He has been an English professor for many years and was instrumental in starting the iPad program at Chatham Hall. Dr. Fountain is the author of the critically praised Remembering Elizabeth Bishop: An Oral Biography.

    The author lunch, featuring Donald Ray Pollock, will be free for all attendees. Mr. Pollock’s first book, Knockemstiff, won the 2009 PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowship. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Third Coast, The Journal, Sou’wester, Chiron Review, River Styx, Boulevard, Folio, Granta, NYTBR, Washington Square, and The Berkeley Fiction Review. The Devil All the Time is his first novel.

    In addition, there will be an exciting mix of scheduled programs for you – and a few new surprises. Don’t miss out! Register now! For further information and to register, click here. 

  • Now accepting nominations: RUSA achievement awards, travel scholarships and research grants

    22 Sep 2012 12:31 PM | Deleted user
    From the ALA Chapter Relations Office --

    The nomination period for RUSA’s 2013 achievement awards, travel scholarships and research grants is now open!
    We have a large variety of awards for both new and accomplished librarians throughout the reference and user services profession.
     
    Among them, we have two new awards this year:
    The Gale Cengage History Research and Innovation Award encourages submissions from MLS degreed librarians looking to further research relating to history and history librarianship. Research must reflect interest in one of the History Section’s subject-oriented committees: Genealogy, Local History, Instruction and Research Services and Historical Materials. The winner will receive up to $2,500, sponsored by Gale Cengage, and a citation.
    The BRASS Business Expert Press Award for Academic Business Librarians recognizes a librarian new to the field of academic business librarianship to attend the ALA Annual Conference. The winner will receive $1,250 for travel expenses supported by Business Expert Press and a citation.
    A comprehensive list of these awards with pertinent details about the nomination period and related deadlines is at the RUSA Blog:
     
    Questions? Contact Leighann Wood, RUSA membership assistant and awards program administrator, at lwood@ala.org.

  • Lubuto Library Project wins USAID/World Vision/AusAID grant for innovation to improve child literacy

    19 Sep 2012 1:29 PM | Deleted user
    Congratulations to the Lubuto Library Project and DCLA member Jane Meyers! 

    A Lubuto Library Project innovation is among 32 winners of an All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development grant,  a joint initiative of USAID, World Vision and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID. The competition to create innovative solutions to improve early grade reading in the developing world elicited more than 450 submissions from more than 75 countries.  Lubuto's winning proposal, "LubutoLiteracy: Zambian teaching and learning materials for the digital age," is funded by World Vision.
     
    The Lubuto Library Project team joined other winners to showcase their innovation at a DevelopmentXChange session on September 7 at USAID headquarters and uniquely highlighted the role that libraries play as “technology incubators.”  LubutoLiteracy is a pioneering program creating high-quality mother-tongue materials to teach children to read on an accessible, low-cost digital platform, and sustainably deploying them at national scale in Zambia in partnership with government and other stakeholders. The interactive materials are developed locally by teachers and youth in line with the national curriculum and leverage the open access learning environment and outreach of Lubuto Libraries to particularly benefit highly vulnerable and out-of-school children. Library staff provide supported access to interactive computer-based lessons in Zambia's seven major languages that adapt the printed curriculum to incorporate more familiar vocabulary. A significant factor favoring the success of the project is that it builds on the lessons of Lubuto’s unique pilot program in its two libraries in Lusaka.

    This grant builds on an earlier project funded by EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) in which 700 mother-tongue reading lessons were created.  Earlier this year, librarians in the Washington, DC area volunteered to add sound files to complete each lesson and other colleagues are developing the LubutoCollections.org website to facilitate their dissemination.  The two-year USAID/World Vision grant will support the evaluation, improvement of the materials and making them widely accessible throughout Zambia on devices such as e-readers and mobile phones.

    www.lubuto.org
    5614 Connecticut Ave., NW #368
    Washington, DC   20015-2604  USA
    202-558-5609

  • ALA Issues Brief Highlighting Innovative Services at Public Libraries

    18 Sep 2012 5:17 PM | Deleted user
    From the ALA Chapter Relations Office:

    CHICAGO -- Libraries continue to transform lives by providing critical services and innovative solutions to information access in spite of years’ worth of consecutive and cumulative budget cuts. More Americans than ever are turning to their libraries for access to essential technology services not found elsewhere in their communities, including free computer and Internet access, technology training and assistance with job-seeking and e-government services.
    “U.S. Public Libraries Weather the Storm (PDF),” a new issues brief from the American Library Association Office for Research & Statistics, highlights how strategic vision has helped public libraries not only “weather the storm” of the Great Recession, but also advance their role as a lifeline to the technology resources and training essential to building digitally inclusive communities essential to full participation in the nation’s economy.
    “Libraries are continually evolving to support the diverse information and training needs of their communities,” said Kathy Rosa, director of the ALA Office for Research & Statistics. “Over 60 percent of public libraries report increased use of computers and Wi-Fi, and 36 percent report an increase in participation in technology classes. More than 96 percent of libraries report providing help accessing online government services, an increase of nearly 16 percent from last year. At the same time, 57 percent of libraries report flat or decreased operating budgets, straining their capacity to meet the demand for services.”
    Libraries continue to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in their communities. Some of the highly innovative services described in the report include:
    • Creative technology incubators such as the Maker Station at the Allen County (Ind.) Public Library, where do-it-yourselfers share sophisticated tools and expertise. “Maker spaces” allow users to collaborate and create, expanding the parameters of information access at the library.
    • The application of QR (Quick Response) codes by the Contra Costa County (Calif.) Library delivers instant access to library materials and services to cardholders with a mobile phone. More public libraries are adopting mobile technology to increase community interaction, enhance access to services and improve channels for information dissemination.
    • To help local businesses gain a competitive edge, the Library System of Lancaster County (Pa.) offers the MarketEdge Competitive Intelligence Certification Program, which teaches people to perform effective competitor research. In effect, libraries are serving as small business incubators, providing a wide range of support including assistance for business plan development and current legal and financial databases.
    “U.S. Public Libraries Weather the Storm (PDF)” was jointly authored with the University of Maryland Information Policy and Access Center.  The issues brief draws from national data published in the 2012 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study (PLFTAS), the longest-running and largest study of Internet connectivity in libraries and the funding that enables free public access to these resources. The study is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the American Library Association.
    Library staffs are encouraged to use content from the issues brief and the PLFTAS report as an educational tool with community stakeholders, including elected officials, funders and program partners to raise awareness of the innovative services available and in demand in their own communities. Staff can use this format as a template for providing local data and examples related to a given topic. PLFTAS issues briefs can be accessed and downloaded at http://www.ala.org/research/initiatives/plftas/issuesbriefs. 
    The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 60,000 members. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information. http://www.ala.org   

  • DCLA members and Friends get sneak peak at newest branch library

    06 Sep 2012 10:37 PM | Anonymous member
    The District of Columbia Library Association joined with the Friends of the Mount Pleasant Library on Thursday, September 6, 2012 to get a sneak peak at the renovated and expanded Mount Pleasant Branch Library, located in Ward 1 in the District of Columbia.

    The 1925 building has been expanded by adding a glass atrium and modern addition and made accessible via an elliptical garden path to a new entrance on the Lamont Street side of the building. The addition features a new 100-person meeting room and moves all of the mechanical and administrative functions out of the historic spaces. The historic building has been opened up by removing an elevator and inaccessible bookstacks and opening sight lines across all three levels.

    Richard Huffine, President of the Friends of the Mount Pleasant Library and Past-President of DCLA has posted a collection of photos from the tour at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17107426@N00/sets/72157631444744630/

  • Introduction from 2012-13 DCLA President Jacqueline Protka

    16 Aug 2012 3:00 PM | Deleted user

    Dear DCLA Membership,

     

    I take this opportunity to introduce myself as the 2012-2013 President of our Association. This is my third year serving on the Board, and it is an honor to have your trust to guide us forward in the coming year.

     

    My first action as President was to convene the annual DCLA Board retreat, at which time the Board welcomes and orients new Board members, engages in exercises to bring us together as a team, and begins planning programs and activities for the coming year. In 2012-13, we welcome Amanda Wilson, Department of Transportation, as Vice-President/President-Elect, and Vickie Crawley, Library of Congress, as Director. Megan Sheils becomes Immediate Past-President. Barbara Conaty, Jessica McGilvray, Karen Quash, Roman Santillan, and Rebecca Trinite continue in their respective roles.

     

    This year, at the suggestion of Past-President Richard Huffine, I invited Susan Fifer-Canby, also a DCLA Past-President, to lead the Board in strategic planning with an outcome of short-term and multi-year goals for the Board. We had an incredibly fruitful planning session. In the next couple of weeks, look for the announcement of our Strategic Plan and action goals.

     

    The Board is setting an ambitious agenda for the year, and we know it will be successful with your involvement and participation. DCLA has been an all-volunteer organization since 1894. It is up to you to shape the association to be what you want it to be.

     

    To that end, please feel free to send comments, questions, ideas, and feedback to me at any time in the next year at jprotka@corcoran.org.

     

    Sincerely,

    Jacqueline Protka

    DCLA President 2012-13

  • DCLA Seeks Two Board Nominations

    10 May 2012 10:20 AM | Deleted user

    The District of Columbia Library Association is seeking nominees for two positions--Vice President/President Elect (commitment of 3 years) and Director (commitment of 2 years)--to complete the Board for 2012/2013. Duties are posted on the web at http://www.dcla.org/Board_Duties. This is an excellent opportunity to get involved, develop new skills, and work with a great group of people to support libraries and librarians. If you are interested in serving in either office, or if you know someone else who would be interested in serving, please contact--

    Bill Turner
    Librarian/Chair, DCLA Nominating Committee
    West End Neighborhood Library
    1101 24th Street, NW
    Washington, DC  20037
    202-724-8698
    bill.turner@dc.gov

    Each nominee should submit a brief professional bio and a statement of his/her willingness to run and serve if elected. Nominations must be received by Friday, May 18.

  • DCLA Mentioned in School Libraries Journal Article on Planned Cuts to DC Public School Libraries

    08 May 2012 4:04 PM | Deleted user
    DCLA is mentioned in a recent article in School Libraries Journal regarding the planned 2013 cuts to school libraries in DC. This comes after DCLA President Megan Sheils, President-Elect Jacqueline Protka, and Past-President Richard Huffine met with Councilmember Tommy Wells to advocate for both public and school libraries. As we can all do individually, we spoke with the Councilmember to inform him on the value of these resources and the impact the community will feel if municipal funding continues to be cut from libraries.


    We all have the opportunity to educate and inform others about the value libraries bring to our community and DCLA's Board is proud to be a voice for so many of our past, current and future members!

  • DCLA Speaks Out for Librarians

    08 May 2012 3:53 PM | Deleted user

    Monday, April 23, 2012 was National Library Legislative Day for the American Library Association and DCLA welcomed librarians to DC that morning to lobby their Congressional leaders to support libraries. The event is supported annually by DCLA, coordinated by our own Barbara Follensbee-Moore. DCLA President Megan Shiels was there to welcome the group in the morning. That afternoon, Shiels, Past-President Richard Huffine, and President-Elect Jacqueline Protka, had the opportunity to speak to a DC lawmaker about the challenges librarians are facing right here in the District of Columbia.

    Our DCLA contingent met with Councilmember Tommy Wells from Ward 6. Councilmember Wells serves as the Chair of the DC Council's Committee on Library and Recreation. Since taking charge of the Committee, he has worked hard to understand the budget of the DC Public Library and he has forged a good working relationship with the Library Administration, the Friends of the Library, and the Library Board of Trustees.

    We were there to speak to the Councilmember on two topics: the situation for school libraries and the Public Library in the proposed 2013 DC Budget. DC Public Schools has drafted their 2013 budget to remove requirements that schools have librarians on staff and the Public Library budget fails to adequately fund collections and training.

    Public School Libraries
    We were able to share research with the Councilmember that supports the positive impact school libraries have on student achievement as well as the role school librarians play in supporting teachers with curriculum development. He shared his concerns about establishing mandates for public schools when there are Charter school alternatives without similar requirements. The Councilmember was hesitant to use the legislature to manage the school system and encouraged DCLA to reach out directly to the Chancellor of the DC Public Schools as well as the Deputy Mayor for Education and the State Superintendent of Education. We expressed our concern about addressing a financial model of school autonomy without understanding the impact that changes will have on the ability of schools to meet their educational goals. We encouraged the Councilmember to ask our educational leaders in DC to consider the long-term impacts of cutting school librarians on student achievement.

    Public Libraries
    We acknowledged the $5 million increase in public library funding proposed by the Mayor for FY2013 and expressed our support for the increased staffing that is planned to provide support for new branch libraries opening over the next several months. We explained, however, that not funding collections adequately will create challenges for the Public Library as they try and meet the growing demand for their services. We talked about the value that professional development and training brings to public library users and how DCPL has trained new librarians for years through subsidized funding of Masters programs for library staff. We also talked about the need to expand library hours and the Councilmember told us about his commitment to studying the main library and options for the building downtown. The Councilmember said he is looking for funds to increase training and that funding for collections will be considered from surplus funds if they become available.

    Visiting with the Councilmember was a learning experience for each of us. We had to do our homework so that we could speak with confidence about the challenges facing our members. We also had to consider what role we should play as representatives of librarians in the District of Columbia whether they are members of DCLA or not.

    Library Associations all over the country do this every year although they have both municipal and state governments to work with. Here in DC, our advocacy is concentrated and focused on the DC Council. We have no representation in Congress and our state and municipal governments are combined in one body.

    We don't know if this first step will change the current realities for public and school librarians, but your DCLA leadership is committed to education of our elected officials and to representing our community when they need us to. If you would like to work on advocacy issues, let us know and we would be glad to include others in our next steps.

Mailing Address:
DC Library Association
 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE
 Unit #: 1653
Washington, DC 20013
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