Dan Savage, Nancy Pearl, a Performer Showcase, collaborative art project and more! The 2012 WLA Annual Conference scheduled April 18-20 at the Tulalip Resort is shaping up to be a very exciting conference. By Friday’s program proposal deadline, we received over 60 submissions – the highest in recent years! While the selection process does not begin until next month, I can tell you that this guarantees a stellar line-up to come. While our conference committee has some innovative ideas, I’d love to hear from all of you as well, so don’t hesitate to contact me. Kristin Piepho, kpiepho@sno-isle.org or 360-651-7017.

By Kelli Bragg, MLIS Student

Library Journal, now in its 133^rd year of publication, is the oldest and most respected publication covering the library field and is an incredible Continuing Education resource. But LJ’s rich bounty of information isn’t found only between the covers of its print edition. Their Web site provides a veritable cornucopia of freely available Web casts (plus news and newsletters).

You can register for upcoming Webcasts or view archived Webcasts for up to one year after the broadcast. To see the list of Webcasts at the LJ site, click here.

Or, if you’re visiting their site just to look around, click on the “Tools” tab, then click on “Webcasts.” And please do go look around, because LJ provides amazing newsletters: academic libraries, news for children and teen librarians, prepub alerts, etc. – truly something for everyone! Additionally, there are great blogs, books reviews for genres of all stripes, and, under the “Libraries & Librarians” tab, some usually-less-covered-but-still-important subjects like Buildings & Facilities discussions, Library Culture and ALA Conference News, etc…plus most have associated RSS feeds so that you’re always learning about the latest information!

To showcase the variety of Webcast topics recently offered, check the brief list below – it’s by no means comprehensive, but is meant to merely show thematic breadth. The titles are links that take you directly to an event registration page; all descriptions were taken directly from the LJ Web site.

Libraries are Essential: Building an Ongoing Connection : “We all know that in these tough economic times, libraries have a great value proposition for their communities… Join NoveList and Library Journal to hear just how libraries are building these ongoing connections …”

Mystery Fall Announcements : “…as mystery reviewer Teresa Jacobsen noted in a recent column, many librarians are facing budgetary issues and will be looking for titles that work for a variety of readers, especially those with crossover appeal… Our five featured publishers will be presenting their new and forthcoming mystery titles…”

World Bank Data and Research: Opening the Vault : “The World Bank was the first international, inter-governmental organization to make its databases free and open to the public… Please join Library Journal’s Cheryl LaGuardia and World Bank staff members as they discuss the wealth of resources and research tools available from the Bank….”

Life of A Book: From Idea to Distribution-Collect, Discover, Assess : “Have you ever wondered how a book becomes discoverable?”

21st Century Digital Knowledge Management: The Changing Role of the Media Specialist With Classroom Technology : “There are new expectations for media specialists doing collection development and management in the information age… How can libraries support the creation, access, storage and delivery of digital visual content for and by our students…”

Note about Webcasts:

• If the Webcast will be held in the future, register now.
• If the Webcast has already occurred and its archive is available (it will be noted underneath the title), you will still need to fill in your registration description unless you’ve already registered for the event. After you complete the form, you’ll be taken directly to a page for immediate viewing – just click “Launch Presentation.”

Whether you’re member of a public, academic, or special library, the Library Journal Web site has newsletters and Webcasts to keep you informed about trends, emerging technology, hot titles, databases, etc.

For the calendar of CE offered by the WA State Library for September and October, click these links:

• September Training Calendar
• October Training Calendar

Is there a specific CE training provider you would like to see discussed or do you have a comment? Please contact me at dipper@startouch.net.

Ellen Good

 ”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

 

WLA Connect is delighted to present this WLA member profile featuring Ellen Good. Meet Ellen:

Q. How do you like your job as the Youth Services Librarian at the Camas Public Library?

A. I love it! The community is so supportive of the library, our staff is tight-knit and works together well, and we get lots of positive feedback from the public.

Q. How have you been personally involved in WLA?

A. I am on the Marketing and Communications Committee and have volunteered during the 2010 conference.

Q. What is your favorite thing about libraries?

A. They are FREE and open for all to use. Everyone is welcome to walk off the street and sit down to read a book for an hour, and they don’t have to justify to anyone why they are there. I really admire the profession’s commitment to free access to information and free speech for all.

Q. What is the last book you read?

A. I just finished re-reading World War Z by Max Brooks. It’s a great fictional account of a devastating zombie war, written as an oral history with personal vignettes.

Q. What area of the library stacks do you like to browse in for your own enjoyment?

A. Science fiction and fantasy usually, although I’ve been exploring adult non-fiction more lately.

Q. Where did you go to library school?

A. San Jose State University; graduated 2005.

Q. Do you have any pets?

A. I own one cat (named Cassandra) and two gopher snakes (named Bert and Ernie).

Q. What are your favorite foods?

A. I could eat rice crispie treats, macaroni and cheese, and bagels all day all year. (What can I say, I love simple but delicious foods. And carbs.)

Q. What is your favorite leisure-time activity, or what do you do to relax?

A. Read, watch movies at home or at the theater, rollerblade and take long scented baths.

Q. What is your favorite music?

A. Right now I’m listening to a lot of Koop, Dido, Mumford & Sons and Mika.

Q. What are some words to live by?

A. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones that you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

Interested in Being Profiled?

If you are interested in being featured in Connect, please write down your responses to the interview questions, and send them to WLA Marketing and Communications Committee member Will Stuivenga, who is acting as editor for the Connect Member Profile feature. You don’t have to answer all of the questions, just those that you are comfortable with, although we encourage you to answer as many as you can, in order to generate a substantive profile. If you can send a recent digital photo, high resolution preferred, that will enhance your profile significantly.

By Kelli Bragg, MLIS Student

Libraries are commonly understood to be the repositories of the human experience, storehouses which take that human experience and from it, create opportunities for library consumers to “learn, grow, and know”  (quoted phrase attributed to Jim Rettig in his November 2008 President’s Message,  American Libraries).

During my time in the UA’s SLIS program, I’ve realized that there are certain directions where I’d like to see my career head. One main area of interests, thanks to excellent instructors for my Information Technology and Metadata classes,  is the universal accessibility described in the ALA’s Bill of Rights: “A person’s right to use the library should not be denied or abridged because of disabilities.”

We can achieve that unabridged library use for all consumers, but first word needs to get out as widely as possible about what exactly print disabilities are, and then how to use our talents to create an equal library experience.

I’ve no doubt that combining Web technology with the power of metadata will allow us to provide all customers equal access to items that let them “learn, grow, and know.” Why do I have no doubt? Because, as librarians, once we know a situation needs attention, we roll up our sleeves and get to work – it’s in our genes.

Therefore, I would like to occasionally contribute posts to help get the word out about print disabilities; I hope you find them informative. __________________________________________________________

As of today, according to http://www.ifla.org/en/lpd, it’s stated that only 5% of the world’s published information is fully accessible to persons with a print disability; it’s my career goal to help increase that percentage as much as I can.

Some people reading this blog may be wondering exactly what constitutes a “print disability.” A print disability is quite simply any aspect that hinders a person’s ability to access print in the “standard” way, whether it’s because of a visual impairment, learning disability or physical disability.

Resources:

• If you’re a teacher, and want to help students in your classroom, visit the Web site Learning Through Listening.
• If you’re a parent, this article at the Web site LD Online can provide both information and solutions for making the printed word easier to understand for you children through e-text.
• An online resource, Bookshare, “Books without Barriers”, is the largest provider of accessible reading materials for those with print disabilities; their Web site states: “…unlimited access to accessible books, textbooks, newspapers and magazines. Additionally, free access technology makes it easy to read books with a computer.”
• For those librarians with customers looking to borrow books from a physical bricks-and-mortar library, IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) offers an international directory of libraries for the blind. IFLA also offers an RSS feed for the latest news.
• Washington Talking Book and Braille Library provides free public library services, including access to both educational and  recreational materials needed by Washington State residents who are unable to read standard print material; WTBBL is an NLS library (NLS = National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped)

By Kerry Maher, Baby Boomer Librarian, King County Library System

Who do we define as “older adults”? The first of America’s 77 million Baby Boomers turned 65 this year, and most of them have no intention of being considered a senior citizen for quite a while. They are redefining what getting old and retiring means today, so libraries need to redefine their services to “older adults.”

Some libraries use 50+ as their name for this target group, but isn’t there really more than one target group in the 50+ segment? “The typical Boomer believes that old age doesn’t begin until age 72.”  The Pew Internet & American Life Project defines the generations as Younger Boomers (Ages 46-55), Older Boomers (Ages 56-64), the Silent Generation (Ages 65-73), and the GI generation (Age 74+).  That’s four different target groups in the 50+ segment.

Transforming Life After 50: A Resource for Librariesemphasizes that increased longevity gives Baby Boomers options for new transitions. “Baby Boomers prefer intergenerational environments; are the wealthiest group in history, but also face financial insecurity; have benefited from medical advances and stay active longer; have a thirst for lifelong learning; participate as a volunteer on a regular basis; and sometimes work past “retirement” age or find part-time jobs after retirement. They also are big fans of social networking.

What is the best way to market services to these “older adults”?  Libraries can help older adults navigate these new transitions with which they are faced. I discovered two libraries offering interesting services beyond the usual 50+ topical guides/programs. What I mean by that is, libraries often assume that the 50+ crowd all need Large Print; for example (maybe they do, but Boomers probably won’t check it out…they are downloading books!).

New Haven (CT) Free Public Library has a 50+ Transition Center. They offer classes in Investing, Managing Your Money, Ask about Social Security, Get Your Passport, One-on-One Computer Instruction and Yoga.  

New York Public Library has a 50+ library blog called the Next Chapter.  Staff and others blog about events that matter to Boomers: Women Making History in the Second Half of Life, Financial Literacy, Celebrate the Earth and Us, and Aging Creatively.

I may have missed several libraries that are offering innovative services for older adults. However, I was shocked at how difficult it was to find many.  Public libraries…you have yet to figure out the best practices for serving “older adults.”

By Erin Mettling, University of Washington iSchool Student

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!  Even when one does, it is difficult to protect against it fully.  There is no offensive when it comes to the Spanish Inquisition; one can only be on the defensive.  What am I on about?  In this instance, the Spanish Inquisition is a natural disaster, and libraries need a preparedness plan for when one strikes. These plans range from basic fire procedures to what is to be done with the collection in the event of flooding, building damage and bug infestation. 

There is no way to prevent a storm.  They happen despite our wishes.  Under some preparedness plans, the rarest or most valuable items in a library’s collection are saved.  They are removed at the time of a drill, or they are kept in water- or fire-proof vaults.  Not everything can be saved in the event of disaster striking, so plans for repairs in the aftermath of destruction must be made.

I started thinking about all of this about a week ago.  I was has having a conversation with my new landlord about books. It moved from what we’ve read recently to what is done in libraries that have been hit by a storm of any kind. He wanted to know what happens when the damage is on a scale as large as Katrina or Irene. What if the library doesn’t have the money needed to save the water-damaged books? What happens when the mold sets in and the infrastructure needs repair or rebuilding? He suggested a library emergency response unit that would have portable book dryers. They would be the first on the scene of a disaster, save what books they can, and write up the initial report for the insurance claim.

In theory, this would be amazing and work wonders.  It would give librarians peace of mind to have a quick response team waiting in the wings after a hurricane like Katrina or Irene, or like the tornadoes that tear through the Mid-West. We would be able to save more books before flooding washes them away, and that, in the long run, would save libraries some money, which could then be used for rebuilding and restocking the shelves. The downside is that the machines needed to dry water-damaged books are not portable. They are large enough to take up factory floors. They press water from the pagers, or they spin them dry. Disaster plans are necessary. It is important to know what steps will be taken should the worst happen. The American Library Association’s website is a good resource for creating plans. They provide a step-by-step guide for building a plan that best suits any particular library’s needs. After having a plan, the question of how to pay for everything arises.

A library can be prepared to handle the aftermath of the likes of Katrina or Irene, but if there’s no money, repairs to the building and the repair or replacement of books are next to impossible.  Many libraries do not have the funding to implement even the best laid plans. They are, arguably, the heart of communities, especially in times of crises. They provide the resources that people need to move forward, but after a disaster they might not be able to reopen their doors because they did not have the money to repair damages.

There is a silver lining.  According to Librarian.net, it is now possible for libraries to apply for grants through FEMA after disaster strikes. They are able to get money they need to get back on their feet, but it is not always enough. There are instances, such as after Katrina, where libraries were closed permanently. The buildings were no longer safe, and they could not find a way to replace every volume they once held.  While damaged libraries do need replacement books, what they need most is funding. 

There is a list here of New York State libraries that need help since Irene swept across the east coast. There is a way to make donations to these libraries online, should you feel the urge to give. Librarything also has a list.  Theirs is more extensive as it covers more than New York.

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!  Even when one does, the best offense is a good aftermath defense. Money is needed as much as a good disaster plan, though the latter is easier to make than the former.