Libraries Still Checked Out

There was a nice article on our Fulton County libraries in the Leader-Herald last week. Read the full story here.

National Gaming Day - November 14

Hundreds of libraries across the country will join ALA to celebrate the second annual National Gaming Day@your library on November 14. During National Gaming Day, public, school, and academic libraries will offer a variety of in-person gaming activities, including a national video game tournament. Players of all ages and experience levels will be able to see how they rank on local, regional, and national leaderboards. Librarians - you can now register for NGD2009! This will put your location(s) on the national map and allow you to request free donations if you're one of the first 1,000 libraries to sign up. Hurry and register now, since registration will be closing in mid-October in order to get the games shipped to you. Sign up each of your branches separately if you want each one to receive its own game. Lots more information and idea will be coming at http://ngd.ala.org/, so check in often!

Webcast - Connecting with Nonfiction: Techniques and Title Tips for Young Readers and Teens

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Place: Online www.slj.com/ConnectingWithNonfiction
Cost: Free!!

We've all been hearing it—want boys to read? Give them nonfiction. Looking for success with reluctant readers? Try nonfiction. Looking for enrichment for gifted students? Nonfiction is a good bet. What are some ideas to help you incorporate nonfiction into your work with students and teachers? You’ll get the answers you need on how to make these connections with your teachers and students in the Connecting with Nonfiction webcast. We’ll be giving you the scoop on some of this year’s hottest nonfiction titles. Titles you will be sure to want to have on hand. Join our panel of experienced professionals for a look at the latest trends in children’s and teen nonfiction publishing and a discussion of best practices that can boost your confidence in this expanding area of patron and student interest. The webcast will also include a discussion of distinguished titles in several areas of nonfiction that every librarian will want to know about and have on hand.

Remember that webcasts are archived for 1 year ofter they are initially presented, so even if you can't make it on October 1, registering will give you access to the webcast on-demand in the future. Sign up at www.slj.com/ConnectingWithNonfiction.

Pimp My Bookcart 2009

Need an idea for a program? Put together a group and enter the Pimp My Bookcart contest, sponsored by Smith System and Bill and Gene, the guys from Unshelved, the comic strip devoted to libraries. Your library could win fabulous prizes, including new bookcarts and Unshelved gift certificates. For inspiration, check out the winners from prior years. There's even a special Kids Cart category, for carts created by kids in middle school or younger.

Visit the contest web page for all the details and instructions on how to enter. Deadline for entries is October 31st, 2009.

Workshop - By the Book Reader's Advisory Conference

Date: Friday, November 13, 2009
Time: 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Place: Albany Public Library
Cost: $65 ($25 for students); cost includes lunch
Presenter: Cynthia Orr

Join Albany Public Library as we celebrate our sixth annual By the Book Readers’ Advisory Conference! In 2009, we’re continuing to expand our skills and understanding of readers’ advisory in an ever-changing world.

Our featured speaker is Cynthia Orr, winner of the 2004 American Library Association Margaret E. Monroe Award for service to adults and an editor of The Reader’s Advisor Online, a website and blog aimed at readers’ advisory and collection development for public libraries. With an exciting sequence of programs for professional and paraprofessional staff scheduled for Friday, November 13th, APL’s By the Book event is designed to give attendees real-world readers’ advisory tips and techniques that they can implement in their libraries.

Complete information can be found at http://www.albanypubliclibrary.org/readers/raconf/. Registrations must be received by November 6.

Webinar - George and Joan on Taking Your Ideas to the Next Level

Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Presenters: George Needham and Joan Frye Williams
Cost: FREE!! (And you don't even have to pre-register!)

You have a terrific idea for improving your library's service. You excitedly share this fantastic new idea, only to have your enthusiasm deflated by picky questions, managerial indifference, or passive/aggressive resistance from your colleagues.

No matter how good your ideas are, if you don't present them in a way that can be discussed and understood by the people who can make them happen, they won't be implemented. You'll be left frustrated. And your community will never experience that terrific new service.

This webinar will describe techniques that prepare library staff members at any level to present new ideas effectively. Participants will learn how to: Demonstrate how your idea fits in with other organizational goals and practices; Improve your empathetic skills, "think with someone else's brain," and anticipate how ideas will be received; Identify the people who can assist you in carrying your ideas to reality; Face resistance squarely and overcome objections; Improve presentation skills so that a good idea won't be lost in a substandard delivery.

This webinar will be of interest to any members of the library community who wish to see their ideas move forward. The tips and techniques covered here will also be useful to those who need to coach others in how to present their ideas more effectively.

Join in at http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/328/index.html on September 29, or visit that ame link the next day to view an archived version of the webinar.

Webcast - YA Book Buzz

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Place: Online : www.schoollibraryjournal.com/YABookBuzz2009
Cost: Free

Today’s tweens and teens are enjoying a greater variety of young adult fiction than ever before – paranormal page-turners, coming of age tales, manga masterpieces and stories from the edge of the universe and beyond – there really is something for everyone. Our panelists will be presenting the best of their Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 titles, and you might find out about some favorites that are back-in-print or now available in paperback. Guaranteed, the YA Book Buzz 2009 will entertain you, inform you and have you creating a ‘to buy’ list for your tween and teen collection.

The webcast is free, but pre-registration is required. Register at www.schoollibraryjournal.com/YABookBuzz2009. If you are unable to view the webcast on September 24, registering now will provide access to the archived presentation for 12 months.

Grant Opportunity - We the People Bookshelf

The American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities are now accepting applications from school (K-12) and public libraries for the newest We the People Bookshelf. Part of the NEH's We the People initiative, the Bookshelf is a grant program created to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history. Library systems and districts may submit a single application on behalf of up to 100 sites.

This year’s theme is A More Perfect Union. Public and school (K-12) libraries are invited to apply online from September 8, 2009 through January 29, 2010. In April, 2010, NEH and ALA will select 4,000 libraries to receive the A More Perfect Union Bookshelf. Those selected will be required to use the Bookshelf selections in programs for young readers in their communities. A list of titles included in the Bookshelf and a list of programming ideas are available on the grant website.

Registration Open for PLA 2010

Registration for PLA 2010, the 13th National Conference of the Public Library Association (PLA), opened on Sept. 8, 2009. Hotel reservations are also being accepted. PLA 2010 will be held March 23-27, 2010 in Portland, Ore.

To register and request housing for PLA 2010, or to download registration and housing forms, visit www.placonference.org. Popular events such as preconferences, tours, and author luncheons are expected to fill up quickly. A special early bird rate is available for PLA members who register by Dec. 16, 2009. All other advance registrations must be received by Feb. 19, 2010.

Offered biennially, the PLA National Conference is the premier event for public libraries, drawing librarians, library support staff, trustees, friends and library vendors from across the country and around the world. The conference includes more than 150 top-quality continuing education programs, preconferences, talk tables, social events, author events, networking opportunities and a bustling exhibits hall.

Workshop - Reinventing the Customer Centered Library

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Place: Mid-Hudson Library System, Poughkeepsie
Cost: $40
Presenter: Karen Hyman, Executive Director, South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative

Karen's 12-step Reinventing Your Library programs have been a feature at every Public Library Association Conference since 2000 and have been presented at library conferences, staff days and trustee workshops in 37 states/provinces in the US and Canada.

After attending the program you will make customer service a way of life in your library:

- See from the customer's point view.

- Focus on user needs/expectations and service opportunities.

- Develop and implement the culture, policies, services and environment that support a customer centered library.

- Operate your library for the convenience of the customer.

Come away with new ideas and at least 5 things you can start immediately to make your community want to love your library (more).

Register online at http://calendar.midhudson.org/.

Workshop - Identity Theft

Date: Monday, September 21, 2009
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Place: Capital District Library Council
Cost: $5

Presenter: Chris Hollister, Investigator at the NYS DMV

Identity theft is an ever changing, evolving animal. This presentation will identify some of the cases we are seeing and provide definitions of the types of identity theft, how to protect yourself and what you should do if you become a victim. Bring your lunch; we will provide coffee, tea and cookies.

Register by Monday September 14 at http://www.cdlc.org/pdfs/CALAFall2009Workshop.pdf

Webinar - The Scoop on Series Nonfiction

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Place: Online
Cost: FREE!!

Need help engaging reluctant readers, promoting reading success, and keeping your library relevant in this era of accountability? Attend “The Scoop on Series Nonfiction” and come away with a wealth of information and ideas for enhancing your collection and engaging young readers with series nonfiction. Booklist youth editors will moderate as four top series nonfiction publishers—Lerner Publications, ABDO Publishing Company, Norwood House Press, and Cherry Lake Publishing—share their expertise and introduce a selection of their fall titles. Webinar participants will also get a sneak peek of Booklist’s October 1 Series Nonfiction Spotlight, including a focus on a new trend: series nonfiction for early primary children. Reserve your spot today at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/688105115.

101 Best Genealogy Websites

We all have folks in our libraries looking to trace their family history. This 10th annual roundup of noteworthy genealogy websites honors 10 categories of 10 noteworthy sites each (plus one to make 101). The Family Tree Magazine editors have tried to encompass more Web 2.0 sites that are paving the way for changes in online genealogy over the next 10 years. Check out http://www.familytreemagazine.com/101for2009/ for the full list of sites, including a nice printable version you can post in your genealogy section.

Grant Opportunity - State Farm Youth Advisory Board Grants

The State Farm Youth Advisory Board, a State Farm-funded program, provides grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 each for service-learning projects that address the issues of environmental responsibility, natural and societal disaster preparedness, driver safety, financial education, and accessing higher education/closing the achievement gap. The primary applicant should be either an educator who currently teaches in a public K-12, public charter or higher education institution; or a school-based service-learning coordinator whose primary role is to coordinate service-learning projects in a public, charter or higher education institution. 501 (c)(3) nonprofits are eligible if they are able to demonstrate how they plan to actively interact with students in public K-12 schools.

The number of grants to be awarded will depend on the number and quality of requests received. However, at least one service-learning project will be funded in each of the thirteen State Farm zones. All applicants will receive funding decisions by the end of January. The funding timeline is from February 2009 through February 2010.

Info: For more on the funding opportunity, please visit www.statefarmyab.com/apply.php. The application deadline is October 2.

Webcast - From the Page to Your Ears: The Making and Dissemination of an Audiobook

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Place: Online : www.libraryjournal.com/bbcaudiobooksamerica
Cost: Free

An audiobook is an intense marriage of creative forces between author, narrator, director and publisher. How does a book make it from a printed work to a CD, Playaway, or Digital Download? What challenges do narrators, directors, and publishers face in bringing audiobooks to fruition? How does technology impact audiobook production and distribution? What role do libraries play in determining which titles are made into audiobooks and what formats are available? Get a peek into the surprisingly complex, incredibly detailed, and fiercely passionate world of audio publishing. Author Julia Spencer-Fleming and Suzanne Toren, the exclusive narrator for her popular Millers Kill mystery series, will discuss these issues and more with producer Dan Hypes for a look at the ups, the downs, and the drama of making an audiobook.

The webcast is free, but pre-registration is required. Register at www.LibraryJournal.com/bbcaudiobooksamerica. If you are unable to view the webcast on September 15, registering now will provide access to the archived presentation for 12 months.

Workshop - Love Those T(w)eens!

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Place: Guilderland Public Library
Cost: FREE to MVLS/UHLS member libraries; $35 all others

Whether you work with tweens, teens, or both, you’ll want to come hear the latest on tween and teen services. Our experienced presenters will cover their topics using a minimum to maximum approach: how to achieve results with minimum resources, and how to go all out! Whatever the level, you’ll learn how to build the relationship, build the resources, and build the programming that makes your library a t(w)een-friendly place. Michael Winerip, author of Adam Canfield of the Slash, Adam Canfield Watch Your Back! and the upcoming Adam Canfield: The Last Reporter (publishing in October) will be our guest t(w)een book author.

Contact Sue (355-2010 ext 226) to register.

Grant Opportunity - Great Stories CLUB Grants

The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) announced the theme and book titles for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants. Funding was provided for this program by Oprah's Angel Network.

Launched in 2005, the Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books relevant to their lives. All types of libraries (public, school, academic and special) located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply for a Great Stories Club grant. Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnerships include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, shelters serving homeless and runaway youth and other agencies. 265 libraries will be awarded grants in 2009.

Electronic applications for the reading and discussion series will be accepted Sept. 1 through Nov. 2 at www.ala.org/greatstories.