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Consulting institute at Midwinter Meeting: registration now open!

Librarians looking to strike out on their own in the library profession, or those library professionals approaching retirement and seeking a flexible way to maintain employment, won’t want to miss “Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to Become a Successful Library Consultant” in Boston this January.

“Assembling a Consulting Toolkit” is a daylong institute offered by the ASCLA, a division of ALA. The event will be held Friday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., in conjunction with the ALA 2010 Midwinter Meeting, and is designed to prepare participants to begin – or advance – a successful consulting career.

Seasoned consultants and ASCLA members Nancy Bolt and Sara Laughlin will present an overview of library consulting for guide attendees, who will discover through  self-assessment their personal consulting potential.  Participants will work together in an active and engaging format to explore different roles that consultants play, services consultants may deliver to clients, marketing consulting services, managing a consulting business and finding clients.

“I’m pleased that these two long-time members of ASCLA’s Independent Librarians Exchange Section (ILEX) are willing to share their expertise in creating consulting opportunities with others,” said Brenda Bailey-Hainer, president of ASCLA.  “If you’re interested in starting your own consulting business, this is a session you won’t dare miss. ”

REGISTER ONLINE NOW!

Interested participants can register for this event only (event code ASC1), or can register in conjunction with Midwinter Meeting registration by adding it as a ticketed event. For institute-only registration using the online form, select “Institute and Ticketed Events Only” as the registration type and proceed to select this event from the list.

Advance registration for the meeting and this event opens Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 4, 2009. Advance registration prices for this event are $185 for ASCLA members, $195 for ALA members, $145 for retired and student members and $225 for non-ALA members. On-site registration, priced at $215 for ASCLA members, $225 for ALA members, $170 for retired and student members and $260 for non-ALA members, will be available (including online registration) until Friday, Jan. 8.

All interested participants must register by Jan. 8—there will not be seats available at the door on the day of the event.

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Nominations open for 2009 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award

NEW YORK–Nominations are open for the 2009 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award.

The award invites library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians in public, school, college, community college and university libraries for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community. Nominations will run through October 9 and are being accepted online at ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

Up to 10 librarians will be selected. Each will receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and a $500 travel stipend to attend an awards ceremony and reception in New York, hosted by The New York Times in December. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.

Nominees will be judged by a selection committee based on quality of service to library users, demonstrated knowledge of the library and its resources and commitment shown in helping library users.

In 2008, Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded the American Library Association (ALA) $489,000 to support the award, which will continue annually through 2013. The award continues in the tradition of one The New York Times presented from 2001 to 2006.

Last year, more than 3,200 library users nationwide nominated a librarian, and 10 librarians received the award. For more information on last year’s winners, visit ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.

The award is administered by ALA’s Public Information Office and Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians.

Carnegie Corp. of New York was created by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote “the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” For more than 95 years, the foundation has carried out its founder’s vision of philanthropy by building on his two major concerns: international peace and advancing education and knowledge. Each year, the private grant-making foundation invests more than $100 million in nonprofit organizations to fulfill Mr. Carnegie’s mission, “to do real and permanent good in this world.”

The New York Times Company, a leading media company with 2008 revenues of $2.9 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 65,000 members. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information.

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Act now, emerging leaders! ALA EL class of 2010 applications due Friday, July 31

The American Library Association (ALA) is now accepting applications for the 2010 class of Emerging Leaders. Applications can be found at http://www.ala.org/cfapps/emergingleaders/. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2009.

The program is designed to enable approximately 100 library workers to get on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership. Participants are given the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, network with peers and get an inside look into the ALA structure and activities.
For the first time since its establishment, the Emerging Leaders program will accept non-MLS library workers. Library support staff personnel are encouraged to apply to the program and will have an opportunity to be considered for sponsorship through the ALA Library Support Staff Interests Round Table.

An ALA division, round table, ethnic affiliate, state chapter or school library media affiliate will sponsor approximately one-third of the selected applicants. Each sponsor will contribute $1,000 toward expenses ($500 for each conference). Sponsorship is not required for participation in the program.

Applicants can indicate on the application which groups they want to consider them for sponsorship. A list of sponsoring units is included as part of the online application. You can also check with your state association and/or state chapter to find out if they are participating and how to apply for their sponsorship.

No more than one person from any institution will be selected for participation in the program. In order to be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be under 35 years of age or be a library worker of any age with fewer than 5 years experience working in a library.
• Be able to attend both ALA conferences and work virtually in between each.
• Be prepared to commit to serve on either an ALA, division, chapter or round table committee, taskforce or workgroup, or in your state or local professional library organization upon completion of program.
• Be an ALA member or join upon selection if not already a member.

Program information will be available and updated at: http://www.ala.org/cfapps/emergingleaders/. For questions or more information regarding the program, contact Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org.

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Reminder: LSSPS Annual Dinner tickets–get yours now!

Just a reminder that we still have tickets available for the Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (LSSPS) Annual Dinner. All current LSSPS members as well as those special populations librarians who are interested in meeting others in the field and networking with peers are invited.

The dinner will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2009 at Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve, 215 East Ohio St., Chicago, and is an opportunity to visit with old colleagues and meet new ones who are employed in library services for special populations, including patrons with visual or physical impairments, the deaf and hard of hearing, incarcerated adults and youth and those with other special needs. Regular (“on-site”) registration rates for the event are $50 for ASCLA members, $55 for ALA members, $60 for non-members, and $40 for students.

Those interested in registering for the dinner and conference—or adding the dinner to their current meeting itinerary—can do so through Step 6 (“Your Events”) of the online registration form or by calling 1 (800) 974-3084. Those who are interested in only attending the dinner (event code SL3) should choose the “Preconference and Events Only” registration type from Step 5 of the online registration form, then scroll down to the dinner under Step 6. Events in Step 6 are sorted by day and time.

Learn more about Emilio’s at the restaurant website. The restaurant is fully accessible, and is located just east of the intersection of North Michigan Avenue and East Ohio Street. The nearest El stop is Grand-Red Line, and a number of Michigan Avenue buses can also get you there. Plan your trip at www.transitchicago.com.

The complete schedule of ASCLA events at Annual is available on the ASCLA website.

Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.

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ALA Nominating Committee Seeks Candidates for 2010 Election

The ALA 2010 Nominating Committee is soliciting nominees to run on the 2010 spring ballot for the offices of ALA President-elect, ALA Treasurer and Councilor-at-large.

The Nominating Committee will select two candidates to run for President-elect, two candidates for Treasurer, and no fewer than 50 candidates for the 33 at-large Council seats to be filled in the 2010 spring election.

The President-elect will serve a three-year term: as President-elect in 2010-2011, as President in 2011-2012, and as Immediate Past President in 2012-2013.

The Treasurer will serve a three-year term, beginning after the 2010 ALA Annual Conference and ending at the adjournment of the 2013 Annual Conference.

The Councilors-at-large will serve three-year terms, beginning after the 2010 ALA Annual Conference and ending at the adjournment of the 2013 Annual Conference.

The ALA President, Treasurer and Councilors also serve in corresponding roles in the ALA-Allied Professional Association [ALA-APA]. Individuals considering ALA-APA office are encouraged to consult with their employer regarding any restrictions regarding lobbying activities or service on the governing body of a 501(c)6 organization.

Members who wish to make nominations should submit the following information: nominee name; present position; institution; address; telephone; fax; and e-mail address. Self-nominations are encouraged. All potential nominees must complete the Potential Candidate Biographical Form available at https://cs.ala.org/potentialcandidates/ beginning June 1. Nominations and forms must be received no later than August 15, 2009.

Nominations may be sent to any member of the 2010 Nominating Committee. Committee members are:
• Nancy Allen, Chair, Dean and Director, University of Denver, Penrose Library. E-mail: nancy.allen@du.edu
• Kathleen E. Bethel, African American Studies Librarian, Northwestern University. E-mail: kbethel@northwestern.edu
• Wayne Bivens-Tatum, Librarian, Princeton University Libraries. E-mail: rbivens@princeton.edu
• Sarah I. Flowers, Morgan Hill, CA. E-mail: sarahflowers@charter.net
• G. Victor Johnson, President, Board of Library Trustees, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Arlington Heights, IL. E-mail: gvicjohnson@sbcglobal.net
• Haipeng Li, Reference Librarian/Outreach Coordinator, Oberlin [OH] College. haipeng.li@oberlin.edu
• Patricia Montiel Overall, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ. E-mail: overall@u.arizona.edu
• Janice M. Rice, Outreach Coordinator, University of Wisconsin-Madison. E-mail: jrice@library.wisc.edu
• Kathryn M. Toon, Hawkins, TX. E-mail: kmtoon@juno.com.

To encourage diversity and leadership development, the Committee will refrain from nominating any current Councilors for election to another term. However, the Committee encourages all current Councilors who wish to continue their service to the Association to file as petition candidates. Petitions will be available from Lois Ann Gregory-Wood, Council Secretariat, ALA, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611, Email: lgregory@ala.org, or during the 2009 Annual Conference or 2010 Midwinter Meeting. Petitions require 25 signatures for names to be included on the 2010 ballot.

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You’re Invited to the LSSPS Dinner @ Annual Conference

The Libraries Serving Special Populations Section (LSSPS) of the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites all current and potential LSSPS members to its Annual Dinner.

The dinner will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2009 at Emilio’s Tapas Sol y Nieve, 215 East Ohio St., Chicago, and is an opportunity to visit with old colleagues and meet new ones who are employed in library services for special populations, including patrons with visual or physical impairments, the deaf and hard of hearing, incarcerated adults and youth and those with other special needs. Tickets for the event are $40 for ASCLA members, $45 for ALA members, $50 for non-members, and $35 for students.

Those interested in registering for the dinner and conference—or adding the dinner to their current meeting itinerary—can do so through Step 6 (“Your Events”) of the online registration form or by calling 1 (800) 974-3084. Those who are interested in only attending the dinner (event code SL3) must register using a printed registration form, which can then be submitted via mail or faxed per the instructions on the form.

Learn more about Emilio’s at the restaurant website. The restaurant is fully accessible, and is located just east of the intersection of North Michigan Avenue and East Ohio Street. The nearest El stop is Grand-Red Line, and a number of Michigan Avenue buses can also get you there. Plan your trip at www.transitchicago.com.

The complete schedule of ASCLA events at Annual is available on the ASCLA website.

Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.

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ASCLA Annual Conference programs highlight division’s areas of expertise

The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) invites all participating in the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago to its programs addressing important topics such as services to special populations, collaboration and resource sharing.

By sharing the expertise of its members with conference attendees, ASCLA, a division of the ALA, provides opportunities for librarians and library staff in all types of libraries to acquire new skills to improve service delivery at their libraries, as well as gain information and learn about tools that will help them solve challenges they or their library may be facing.

    This year’s ASCLA programs include:

Moving Mountains: Latest Trends in the Physical Delivery of Library Materials
Saturday, July 11, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
How do you move 5, 10, or even 20 million items a year between libraries? The 2008 Moving Mountains Symposium in Cincinnati explored the best methods for delivering materials between libraries as well as new trends in home delivery. A panel will present Symposium highlights including best practices in current delivery, future trends, home delivery, automated material handling systems, and ways to collaborate.

What Can $930 Million Do for Library Services Nationwide? The Impact and Future Directions of LSTA
Saturday, July 11, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
How do states use their LSTA dollars to improve library services? An IMLS study examined all of the states’ five-year evaluations and reported on the observed major trends. A panel of speakers will present new state projects in technology infrastructure, reference and information services, special populations outreach and literacy and reading development.

Large Print for All: Bigger is Better
Sunday, July 12, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Aging baby boomers, struggling young readers, individuals with reading disabilities and persons with low vision are increasing demand for large print materials. Learn what publishers are producing in large print, how to display and promote large print collections for all ages and current research findings on the uses and benefits of large print.

ASCLA President’s Program: Revitalizing the Library Experience
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
In a world where information is an off-shored commodity, where Google handles more questions in a second than a reference librarian will answer in a career and where social gatherings have migrated to online networks, how can our libraries thrive, how can we demonstrate the greatest return on funders’ investment? ASCLA President Carol Desch invites you to the President’s Program to discuss these questions with library pundits Joan Frye Williams and George Needham, who will challenge you to rethink library services, turning some old stereotypes on their ears while making our work more valuable and more fun.

Future Perspectives: Collaboration and Innovation
Sunday, July 12, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
How do we nurture innovation? How do we advance library services that meet patron needs today and in the future? Join Brenda Bailey-Hainer, executive director, BCR, Lorcan Dempsey, vice-president of research and chief strategist, OCLC, and Veronda Pitchford, vice-president, membership and communications, Urban Libraries Council, in a panel presentation and discussion of the role of collaboration in strategic innovation as libraries strive to respond to the rapidly changing environment in which they now operate.

Multiple Intelligences @ Your Library: A Tool for Better Services
Monday, July 13, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences can empower you to reach out and more effectively serve your entire community, including special populations. This panel discussion will present a brief theoretical overview and a practical showcase of services to children and youth. Attendees will learn how to improve readers’ advisory, programming outreach, reference, book discussion and collection development in public, school and academic libraries. Patrick Carman, award-winning author of the best-selling series The Land of Elyon, will speak about using technology with literature.

Libraries and Hospice: Developing a Vital Community Partnership
Monday, July 13, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
As hospice care becomes an integral part of American family life, opportunities arise for program alliances with both academic and public libraries. This program highlights these partnerships and will feature representatives from hospice organizations as well as a panel of librarians who have worked with hospice on programs, collection development, and community education.

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Participation in any of these programs is included with annual conference registration. Register for the Annual Conference using the online registration form, by calling 1–800-974-3084, or by downloading a printed registration form, which can then be submitted via mail or faxed per the instructions on the form.

Not an ASCLA member, but interested in discounted registration rates on conference, ASCLA preconferences and other ASCLA events? Join, renew or add ASCLA to your ALA membership at www.ala.org/membership.

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Reminder: Award deadline is Monday, Dec. 15

Don’t forget that Monday, Dec. 15–one week from today–is the nomination deadline for ASCLA awards.

At the ASCLA Awards page, you can learn more about these awards. Scroll down to the “Use the following links” heading to access complete pages for each award, including nomination forms and eligibility information.

The awards are:

  • ASCLA Exceptional Service Award
  • ASCLA Leadership & Professional Achievement Award
  • Cathleen Bourdon Service Award
  • ASCLA/Keystone Library Automation System (KLAS)/National Organization on Disability (NOD) Award
  • Francis Joseph Campbell Award

Questions about awards should be sent to Liz Markel, ASCLA Marketing Specialist, at lmarkel@ala.org.

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Call for nominations: ASCLA award honors accessibility-related projects

CHICAGO–The Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) seeks nominations for the 2009 ASCLA/KLAS/NOD award.

Sponsored by ASCLA, the National Organization on Disability and Keystone Systems, this award recognizes an innovative and well-organized project that successfully developed or expanded services for people with disabilities. The award can be for a specific service(s) program or for a library that has made its total services more accessible through changing physical and/or attitudinal barriers. The winner receives $1,000 and a certificate provided by Keystone Systems.

Those interested in submitting a nomination can download the award nomination form from the awards section of the ASCLA website or request the form from Liz Markel, ASCLA Marketing Specialist, via e-mail at lmarkel@ala.org. All nominations must be received by Dec. 15.

Recent award recipients have included the Braille Institute of Library Services, Los Angeles (2007) for its Telephone Reader Program; the Skokie Public Library (Ill.), Youth Services Department (2006) for its efforts to educate library staff about children with special needs, offer programming for these children and their families and present disabilities awareness programs for the general public; Johnson County Library, Shawnee Mission (Kan.) for its “Literature for the Learning Disabled Adult” program (2005); and the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections, University of Toledo (2004), for its Regional Disability History Archive Project.

ASCLA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and multi-type cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed.