Correctional librarians work in a unique environment where, similar to school and some special libraries, “appropriate content” is mandated by a non-library parent agency. Most guiding professional documents are outdated, insufficient, or not applicable.
To fill that gap, Diane Walden, member of the Institutional Library Development team at Colorado State Library, and Ray James, Research Specialist (Texas) have crafted “Prisoners’ Right to Read: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights.”
“Prisoners’ Right to Read” will provide correctional librarians with an intellectual freedom values statement tailored to their unique work environment and guidelines for aligning program outcomes and goals with those values.
Continue reading ‘Seeking Input: Prisoners’ Right to Read Statement’
Following the ALA elections? All ALA division and roundtable results are now available as a PDF at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/alaelection/2010/results_divisions_an.pdf
Does your library have a bookmobile? Celebrate the first annual National Bookmobile Day on Wednesday, April 14, 2010! ALA has free resources your library can use to promote your bookmobile.
Elena Rosenfeld, Colorado Association of Libraries ALA Chapter Counselor, passed this press release on from ALA. Great statistics and information. How would you use this to advocate for libraries in your community?
New ALA report details economic trends in libraries and 2010 outlook
CHICAGO – At every turn, news reports and research indicate fairly dramatic changes in U.S. library funding, services and staffing – most occurring in the last 18 months. According to a new report prepared by the American Library Association (ALA), libraries of all types are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn while managing sky-high use.
Compiled from a broad range of available sources, The Condition of Libraries: 1999-2009 presents U.S. economic trends (2009), and summarizes trends in public, school and academic libraries across several library measures, including expenditures, staffing and services. The report also highlights trends in services provided to libraries by library cooperatives and consortia.
Continue reading ‘Conditions of U.S. Libraries: Trends 1999-2009′
Through a partnership with the American Library Association (ALA), Safeway Inc. is rolling out 5 Safeway-brand cereal boxes with back-panel content about libraries and librarians. The cereal is available at Safeway’s 1,500 U.S. stores across the U.S.
The panels focus on five content areas:
- Get rich @ your library lists free resources available at libraries and encourages readers to add up how much they save by using the library’s resources;
- Learn for a lifetime @ your library features the ways that school and public libraries encourage lifelong learning;
- Great mysteries answered @ your library contains fun facts about libraries, including the number of questions answered weekly by reference librarians at our nation’s academic and public libraries;
- Discover the world @ your library positions a library card as a passport to the world; and
- Discover your family tree @ your library encourages readers to go to the library to research their family tree.
Visit the I Love Libraries site for more information.
Published by
Michelle on
September 17, 2009 in
General, Innovation, Public Libraries, advocacy and funding.
Tags: access, ALA, funding, Gates, Innovation, Public Libraries, survey, technology.
The 2009-2010 Public Library Funding & Technology Access survey conducted by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Center for Library & Information Innovation at the University of Maryland is now available for completion.
Your participation in the survey is extremely important, and directly impacts the ability of ALA and others to advocate on behalf of public libraries and the tremendous contribution public libraries make to their communities through their public access Internet services and resources. Data from the study appeared most recently in USA Today in a discussion of how public libraries help job seekers.
The survey is open through November 6, 2009. You will need an ID number, which you may look up on the website. Questions regarding the survey should be directed to support@plinternetsurvey.org or 301-405-9445. Continue reading ‘2009-2010 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Survey’
The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is soliciting nominations for best library practices using cutting-edge technology.
“We want to showcase libraries that are serving their communities with novel and innovative methods and provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library service in new ways,” said Vivian Pisano, Chair of OITP’s America’s Libraries for the 21st Century Subcommittee.
Nominations should be sent to the American Library Association, Office for Information Technology Policy, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 1st Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009 by September 1, 2009. Details about the nomination process and an online submission form are available on the OITP Web site.
The America’s Libraries for the 21st Century Subcommittee will review all nominations and conduct selected interviews or site visits to identify those libraries that are truly offering a best practice or most innovative service. Libraries or library service areas selected will be publicized via the OITP Web site, highlighted through ALA publications, and featured in a program at the ALA Annual Conference in 2010.
There’s Still Time to Apply for the 2010 Class of ALA Emerging Leaders Program – Deadline July 31, 2009
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.
Continue reading ‘ALA Emerging Leaders Program – Deadline July 31, 2009′
Recently the Today Show ran a segment on the important role libraries play during the recession, using data and resources provided by the ALA and public libraries: Libraries lend a hand in tough times
The ALA Public Information Office worked with the Today Show on this segment and has followed up to encourage NBC affiliates to take up the story locally. But you can help extend the reach of this positive story
in several ways: Continue reading ‘Use National Story to Raise Awareness of Library Value’
All public, school, academic and special libraries across the country are celebrating National Library Week April 12 – April 18. The theme for the week is “Worlds Connect @ your library” and this year’s spokesperson is the children’s author and actress, Jamie Lee Curtis. More information can be found at the American Library Association’s Web site.
CDE news release (PDF)
State Library’s National Library Week page
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