LETTER oF THE LAA Issue 156
Reddy the Reader, the new mascot at Strathcona County Library, p.22
Inside: The Partnership: What it is and How You Benefit Edmonton Welcomes 2007 PNLA Conference Around Red Deer in 60 Days with the mezz Summer Reading Program The Centennial Series Unveiled Venezuela's Four-Legged Mobile Libraries
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 80 Baker Cres. NW, Calgary, AB T2L 1R4 Phone: 403/284-5818 FAX: 403/282-6646 http://www.laa.ca
ISSUE NUMBER 156 FALL 2007 ISSN 0705-4890
People ...... 1
From the President's Desk ...... 2
From the Executive Director ...... 3
Association News The Partnership: What it is and How You Benefit ...... 4 LAA Members Win Tickets to see JK Rowling...... 8 Call for Nominations for Award of Excellence in Library Service ...... 9
Around the Province Librarians Run for the Cure 2007 ...... 10 Renovations Improve City Centre Campus at GMC ...... 11 Innisfail Announces Plans for New Library ...... 11 Edmonton Welcomes 2007 PNLA Conference ...... 12 News from Calgary Public Library ...... 14 Issues in Teacher-Librarianship Course Back by Popular Demand ...... 15 7th Annual Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop ...... 16 Celebrate TD Canadian Children's Book Week November 17-24, 2007 ...... 17 Around Red Deer in 60 Days with the mezz Summer Reading Program ...... 18 The Centennial Series Unveiled ...... 20 News from the School ...... 21 Reading Buddies Encouraged Summer Reading ...... 22
Across Canada & Beyond Venezuela's Four-Legged Mobile Libraries ...... 24
What's In An Acronym ...... 26
Forthcoming Events ...... 27
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 PEOPLE
Pat Sandercock has recently accepted the position of Regional Sales Manager at Swets. In addition to working with clients in Western Canada, Pat will also be working with Academic Clients in Oregon, Washington State and Alaska. Best of all, she’s still working from her home office in Calgary.
Jason Openo, formerly the Director at Salem Public Library in Salem, Oregon, is now the Manager of the Whitemud Crossing Branch of Edmonton Public Library. Jason is Past President of PNLA and you may remember him from the LAA Annual General Meeting in Jasper where he brought greetings on behalf of PNLA. Welcome to Alberta Jason!
On the retirement of Joyce Van Scheik, Carol Nicks became library director at Concordia University College. Carol has served as Assistant Librarian at CUC for the past 14 years. Sheila Clark, previously at Walla Walla College, Washington, was hired as Assistant Librarian, with duties primarily in public services. Sheila is a graduate of the MLIS program at the University of Alberta. Wilmer Tenerife, with a certificate as a Library Technician from Seneca College in Ontario, is the new Supervisor, Technical Services.
At Grant MacEwan College, Debbie McGugan became the Associate Director of Learning and Instructional Services in June. She will assist Director Joanne Kemp in ensuring the smooth operations of all Library services, as well as instructional technology and E-learning initiatives. In addition, Debbie will continue to act as the Chair of Reference Services until someone is hired to take over that role from her. As of September 1, Katherine Koch, Campus Librarian at MacEwan’s South Campus, added Chair of Campus Library Services to her list of responsibilities. In this capacity, Katherine, who has been with the College since 1993, will oversee library operations at MacEwan’s South Campus, Alberta College Campus and the Center for the Arts and Communications.
Christina Wilson is The Alberta Library’s Emerging Technologies Librarian, a new position within the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN). It combines ongoing SuperNet infrastructure and services development duties with responsibility for investigating new or enhanced electronic services of interest to public libraries. Christina comes to this position with an enthusiasm for serving public libraries and over 20 years of experience implementing and managing public library technologies.
Lorelei Harris (University of Western Ontario MLIS 2007) has recently joined the University of Lethbridge Library on a term appointment. Prior to her MLIS, Lorelei spent five years at the Dorion Public Library working on a local history digitization project as well as assisting with technical services and community programming. Lorelei is passionate about information literacy instruction and reference service and hopes to continue research in these areas.
Ann Curry will begin a five-year term as Director of SLIS in January 2008. Dr. Curry will come to us from the School of Library and Archival Studies at the University of British Columbia, where she is presently Professor and Chair of the Doctoral Studies Program. Dr. Curry is an award-winning teacher, a productive researcher, and an actively contributing member of both the professional and the scholarly LIS communities.
In January, Dinesh Rathi will join the SLIS faculty in a brand new position. Dr. Rathi is finishing his Ph.D. in the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has accepted the new Knowledge Management position that was advertised last winter. He has a Master of Science in Finance, also from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, India, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Surathkal.
"A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight." - Robertson Davies
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 1 FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
Della Paradis LAA President
In the words of that great philosopher, Groucho Marx, “These are my principles; if you don’t like them, I have others.” I believe in the principles expressed as ‘working together makes us stronger’ and ‘we’re all in this together so let’s not fight amongst ourselves’, platitudes of that ilk. When I think about not only LAA but our other associations and the good people with great hearts working to support the library cause, I am inspired but what we accomplish together. Our strength is in the collective; in pulling together and in the same direction.
Consider The Partnership. Certainly the most inspired and inspiring, collaborative effort I have ever seen in the Canadian LAA President Della Paradis, left, and Executive Director library community. The Partnership has Christine Sheppard, at The Partnership retreat in August in delivered easy access and great rates for Toronto. continuing education through the Education Institute and open access to a peer-reviewed EJournal. The collegial nature of The Partnership enables this grass roots movement to move quickly and deliver real benefits. Nature abhors a vacuum and The Partnership has filled the voids left by more byzantine associations.
The Partnership Job Board at www.libraryjobs.ca is the latest development benefiting our community. Administered by the British Columbia Library Association, the Job Board provides access to postings from libraries and related institutions from across the country. With the service well tested in Ontario and BC, promotions in Alberta are afoot. This friendly site offers an email notification service of all postings and great search-ability.
Institutional and commercial members of LAA are invited to posting positions at www.libraryjobs.ca for $50 for 2 weeks (non-member $75 for 2 weeks). Renewals are welcome. Employers simply login, view and edit their postings right on the site.
The collective membership of The Partnership is over 8,000 professionals nation- wide. In stark contrast, the Canadian Library Association’s membership is currently reported as 2,552. With the weight of the professional community behind The Partnership, we’re confident that the benefits we deliver by working together will continue to grow.
Contact Us at LAA President: Della Paradis [email protected] Wendy Grønnestad-Damur Past President: Anne Carr-Wiggin [email protected] [email protected] Tim Janewski [email protected] 1st VP: Karla Palichuk [email protected] Sona Kothari [email protected] 2nd VP: Marianne Graff [email protected] Treasurer: Melanie Johnson [email protected] Executive Director/Newsletter Editor: Christine Sheppard 403.284.5818 Directors: [email protected] Virginia Clevette [email protected] For full contact information, visit www.laa.ca
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 2 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Christine Sheppard LAA Executive Director
We have a lot to celebrate here in Alberta.
The Alberta Library Conference is one of the most highly attended and eagerly anticipated conferences in Canada. Public libraries have a Minister who is passionate about their place in the community. LAA is moving forward with more electronic services for members. The Education Institute offers more and more workshops on topics of great interest to Alberta libraries and the number of attendees continues to grow. And on October 30, Alberta libraries celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Librar- ies Act at the beautiful McKay Avenue School in Edmonton, the site of the first two sessions of the Alberta Legislature.
The act was originally passed on March 15, 1907, in the First Legislative Assembly of Al- berta. Today, Alberta is home to 310 public Hon. Ray Danyluk, Minis- libraries. ter of Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing. The evening included addresses by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Hon. Ray Danyluk who thanked the builders and innovators within the library community; Dr. Horst Schmid, Minister of Dr. Horst Schimd, Minister of Culture from 1971 to 1979 who said that libraries connect everyone with the Culture, 1971-1979. knowledge, history and culture of the world. He pointed out that the reason libraries are not often mentioned in the media is that the media focus on the negative things in life and libraries represent the positive; Mary LeMessurier, Minister of Culture from 1979 to 1986 and was instrumental in the development of regional library systems; Jean Mucha, a trustee and advocate for library service; and Finola Hackett who finished second in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. Finola said she can't imagine Tofield without the public library, "a safe and open place, a quiet restful sanctuary and a retreat for the soul."
A historical sketch presented by Rooney and Punyi Productions Ltd. depicted an interview with Dr. Irene Parlby, one of the Famous Five. Parlby joined her fellow suffragists, Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Louise McKinney in the victorious fight to give women the right to vote and run for office. Cupcakes decorated with books She was also a powerful force behind the and "100" were part of the celebra- formation of the Alix Public Library. She felt that tory refreshments. books offered a light in the darkness to prairie women whose lives were very hard.
A Centennial Video highlighted past achievements and interviews with various library staff members, trustees and advocates, who extolled the value of libraries in our communities. Each attendee at the celebration was given a copy. Actor Maureen Rooney's Thanks to Punch Jackson and Bonnie Gray, and all the dedicated staff at Libraries, depiction of Irene Parlby. Community & Voluntary Sector Services, Libraries Branch, for bringing together many friends and colleagues to celebrate our amazing library history.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 3 ASSOCIATION NEWS
The Partnership: What It Is And How You Benefit Marianne Graff Chair, LAA Member Services Committee and 2nd VP
“After all, it doesn’t matter how big or how small you are, good people are good people” – Larry Moore, commenting on one reason for the success of The Partnership.
The Library Association of Alberta is a proud member of The Partnership. Why does this matter? you may be asking. The short answer is that every single LAA member benefits from LAA’s membership in The Partnership, either directly or indirectly. The services available through The Partnership are:
• Professional development sessions through the EI Education Institute, • A professional, peer reviewed, electronic journal, Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, • Access to the OLAStore , an excellent resource for books and materials of interest to Canadian librarians, and • A job board with a national scope, and career development resources for library staff through the Career Centre
The Partnership homepage can be found at http://www.thepartnership.ca/partnership/bins/index.asp
So, What is The Partnership Exactly? What's the big deal? The Partnership is a national network of provincial and territorial library associations. What makes it such an incredible benefit is that by banding together we can provide more services to members of each library association than we could independently. As a result, The Partnership has created a multitude of benefits, for individual members of provincial and territorial library associations in Canada, and for the Canadian library profession as a whole.
What are the benefits of being part of The Partnership? The benefits are many and multifaceted:
• More professional development opportunities and topics through the EI institute and the Journal than each professional association could offer their members individually, or have time to coordinate on such a grand scale;
• More varied professional development session topics than each professional library association could dream up and coordinate on their own, achieved by tapping into the expertise of library professionals across the country;
• Convenient professional development sessions, delivered using Audio and Web Conferences, On-line Courses, and Audio Courses;
• Cost effective interactive professional development since once you register for an EI institute session, as many people as you can fit into one room to hear it can attend, a boon to staff from small and large libraries alike, to staff on a tight budget and to those that just like to gather together for learning opportunities to and discuss what they’ve learned afterward;
• Cost effective professional development, especially when considering you can pay once for yourself and invite as many of your colleagues as can fit in the same room with you to attend too, without additional expense;
• Opportunities to present on topics of interest to you to an audience that can span the country;
• Access to a rich repository high quality, peer reviewed, Canadian professional literature on topics of interest to staff of all types and sizes of libraries, which otherwise can be difficult to find, given the predominance of the American publishing industry in North America; Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 4 • Visible support of open source software solutions developed in Canada, and to the intellectual freedom ideals espoused by library staff everywhere by using an open source publishing option. No embargoes! No fees to access information! Easy access to past and current articles, now and into the future! Relatively quick publication turnaround time compared to large, traditional publishing houses! All the things near and dear and desirable to the librarian’s heart;
• Opportunities for individuals to publish in a high quality publication with a national audience;
• Opportunities to learn about issues affecting other areas of the country and how they handled it which could help you deal with similar situations in your library and province;
• The chance to meet and network with your professional counterparts in other parts of the country;
• Increased ways to learn how to develop your career within the library profession using the Career Centre;
• The chance to purchase Canadian professional library literature and resources;
• Cost effective and easy ways to advertise to fill vacant positions across the country using the online Jobline, which will be an increasingly valuable benefit, according to the research and predictions of the significant numbers of library staff retiring in the next five to 15 years;
• Cost effective and easy ways to find jobs in the library world across the country, without having to know how to access each province or territory’s local job boards and job listings;
• Support for new grads to get the training they need as they enter the profession;
• Ways for professional staff at any stage of their career to attain skills and knowledge diversity from outside their home institution;
• The chance for library associations and territorial associations to offer services their members need and want and see some financial reward for doing so in a way that isn’t a big financial burden to members;
The Flagship Partnership Service: The Education Institute Perhaps the most immediate and obvious advantage to The Partnership that individual members of LAA would notice was the appearance of high quality, affordable, convenient professional development opportunities available online through the Education Institute. By opening up the Education Institute to all library association members across the country, more training topics can be covered than each individual library association could organize on their own, and topics can be specific and still gather a good sized crowd. People can benefit from getting to meet and hear about issues and ideas from their counterparts in other institutions in Alberta and elsewhere in the country.
Not only does this increase awareness of issues affecting other library staff and libraries, it provides a great opportunity to network nationally. By delivering these sessions using audio conferences and online tools it’s cost effective and convenient. No travel costs! An added bonus is that a certain percentage of each session goes back to the library association that arranged the speaker, so this provides a financial incentive not only to the presenter, but to the association as well. It’s a win-win situation.
As Deb Feisst, LAA’s former Representative to the EI Institute, noted “ LAA has been very successful in our submissions and our sessions have been well-attended and evaluated. We look forward to developing more quality EI programming for our members... LAA receives royalties for each registered attendant of LAA-developed sessions, and for 2006 LAA received $3537.55. We are very pleased with this additional revenue stream for LAA.”
Contact Viriginia Clevette, the current LAA representative to the EI institute, with your ideas for sessions and if you have any questions.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 5 What kind of publication is Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research ? Another excellent and immediate benefit for LAA members is The Partnership Journal. LAA members can take advantage of the findings of published profes- sional, relevant research and sage advice through this high quality, peer reviewed practitioners’ journal. It’s published twice a year. Submitted articles are reviewed and selected by members of an editorial review committee. Every issue offers high quality articles in these topic areas:
o Feature articles on theory & research and innovations in practice o Viewpoints o Conference presentations o Profiles o News & Announcements o Professional development & reviews
According to Leeanne Morrow, Section Editor for The Partnership Journal, “Summer has now passed and we are in the midst of preparing for our Fall 2007 issue of Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research. This journal provides an excellent opportunity for LAA members to share their library’s news and announcements, or their professional research and innovative practice with the rest of the Canadian library community. Check out the website and feel free to submit an article or news bit at anytime throughout the year.”
The fact that access to this journal is free for library staff is a tremendous advantage to them across the country. Using the open journal system works to the advantage of professional librarians in a number of ways. As Della Paradis, former LAA representative to the Partnership Editorial Board, pointed out recently, “The Journal is democratic in its development and its access; a representative editorial board of professionals volunteer their time to bring this open access publication not only to the membership but to anyone who seeks it out.”
Disseminating high quality information resources is what librarianship is all about, so the opportunity to contribute to and tap into the Journal’s repository of knowledge assists with professional development and raises the profile of the profession across Canada, an obvious advantage to all library staff. Access to a high quality professional journal that focuses on the issues affecting library staff across the country offers the benefits of raising the profile of the profession, providing individuals in Canada an opportunity to publish in Canada, and fosters collaboration and editorial skills development for representatives across the country participating in the peer review process.
There is another benefit of the Journal that is perhaps less tangible, but no less important. Using open journal endorses the fundamental philosophy of free, and universal access to information, a theme of intellectual freedom that lives close to the librarians’ heart. Plus, it supports the excellent work of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia in developing open source solutions from which organizations, including library organizations, can reap great benefits. Open Journal Systems (OJS) created by Simon Fraser University staff, is a journal management and publishing system that has been developed by the Public Knowledge Project: “ OJS is open source software made freely available to journals worldwide for the purpose of making open access publishing a viable option for more journals, as open access can increase a journal’s readership as well as its contribution to the public good on a global scale” (PKP website http://pkp.sfu.ca/?q=ojs ).
What services are offered through the Partnership Career Centre compared to other career sites? The Career Centre is currently under development, and should be available this Fall. It will consist of a job board and a career development information repository. Larry Moore explained that he noticed that “each association is doing some sort of career development information centre and online links, so why not pool our resources and expertise?”
The job board is already available. Using this online service you can post job ads to a national audience for a very reasonable price compared to newspaper ads or other online fee based job boards, and anyone can search job ads for free. The Partnership job board was based on the expertise and hosting skills of those involved with the BCLA job Board.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 6 What does the OLAStore sell? The OLA Store, a service originally created for Ontario library staff, is now available to all The Partnership members and their members in turn. This is a valuable resource for materials on library topics of interest to Canadian library staff, such as programming ideas, library management and curriculum support.
How is The Partnership Run? Where Is It Located? The Partnership has no headquarters of its own, and no central office or staff. It was not created with the intent to be a political body like CLA, but to focus on sustainable building services and helping library associations increase their membership numbers. The Partnership is a completely collegial and decentralized network. The Partnership is formed from the provincial and territorial library associations; each library association appoints representatives to liaise with and participate directly in the Partnership.
How did The Partnership come into existence? The origin of The Partnership is a very interesting story. Larry Moore, Executive Director of the Ontario Library Association ( OLA) explained that it began as an offshoot of what OLA was already doing. As a result of almost going bankrupt in the 90s (due to government cutbacks), the resurrected OLA sought to make all their services financially self sustaining. In order to do this and keep the costs for members reasonable, they sought cost efficient ways to offer services on a large scale. According to Larry Moore, The Education Institute was the catalyst. It had been running successfully for two years before The Partnership was formed.
The Partnership came from Larry’s idea that what started as a commercial venture for OLA could easily be extended to other associations seeking to earn revenue and provide relevant services to their members. By opening up services to other associations and their members, and “allowing them to ride on OLA’s coat-tails,” all would benefit. As Moore remarked "I don’t see that I did this, but just something that happened organically. Once we got OLA rolling, we just saw the opportunities for expansion to other library associations, so they could benefit from what we learned and were doing.” What began as a commercial venture for OLA has become something much more, “now it’s doing something significant for everyone; it’s got a dimension of working together as a country.
And This Is Just the Beginning… The photo below shows the representatives of the member associations of The Partnership at a retreat last summer, and the consensus among our Alberta representatives and Larry Moore, was that it was inspiring to see The Partnership truly come into its own, with all partners fully feeling a significant sense of involvement and ownership in this unique pioneer adventure. “The opportunities of The Partnership are huge” opined Larry. We on the LAA Board agree. We can’t help but feel that this is the beginning of something really great, and we are proud to be a part of it all, directly and indirectly benefiting in so many ways. We hope you feel the same!
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 7 LAA Members Win Tickets to see JK Rowling
At a draw at the Nose Hill Library branch of Calgary Public Library, LAA Executive Director Christine Sheppard, left, assisted Beth Paul as she drew names from LAA members who entered the contest for tickets to attend the JK Rowling reading in Toronto on October 23. Twenty-two LAA members put their names forward and the tickets were won by Helen T. Booth, Valleyview School Library, and Pilar Martinez, Edmonton Public Library.
Helen and Pilar were thrilled to attend the reading. Watch for their stories in the next issue of Letter of the LAA.
Each winner received two tickets and $300 travel money. They had to take a child between the ages of 9 and 15 to the reading. Four tickets were offered to each member association of The Partnership. Thanks to OLA for making this possible!
LAA Annual Freedom to Read Week Contest February 24–March 1, 2008
Does your library have ideas or plans to celebrate Freedom to Read Week?
The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Library Association of Alberta would like to help! Enter the Freedom To Read Week Contest.
LAA is running a contest to encourage libraries to develop great ideas to celebrate and promote Freedom to Read Week to our communities. If your library is selected as the winner, The Intellectual Freedom Committee will provide you with $300.00 to help in the celebration!
This award can be used for displays, promotional campaigns, banned materials, events or information sessions held in your library between February 24th and March 1st, 2008.
Please submit a letter of interest to the Intellectual Freedom Committee of LAA describing your library’s ideas for celebrating Freedom to Read and how your activity will impact your community. Deadline for applications is February 5th 2008. Submissions may be sent to IF Chair, Anne Carr-Wiggin at [email protected]. One award of $300.00 will be given to the successful library as determined by the Intellectual Freedom Committee.
If you have questions about this contest or about the Intellectual Freedom Committee, please contact Anne Carr-Wiggin at [email protected]. Share your commitment to Intellectual Freedom with your community - plan a Freedom to Read Week event today!!!
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 8 Award of Excellence in Library Service
Call for Nominations
Intent P To recognize excellence in service, program or public relations/advocacy achievement in library service in Alberta
Eligibility P Individuals or institutions
Criteria P must benefit clientele P must enhance library operation P must meet its stated goals and objectives
Procedures P Nominations must include: P name of service or program P purpose of service or program P description of activity P contribution to library operation P photographs, if applicable P other supporting documentation P letter of support
Deadline P January 31, 2008
Please send your nomination to: Award of Excellence 80 Baker Cres. NW Calgary, AB T2L 1R4
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 9 AROUND THE PROVINCE
Librarians Run for the Cure 2007
Pam Ryan Interim Head, Science & Technology Library University of Alberta Libraries
The 4th Annual Librarians Run for the Cure Team was the biggest and best yet!
We had 215 Team members participating from 19 different Run Sites across Canada with an online Librarians Run for the Cure Edmonton Team Team fundraising total of $38,750.
The local Team Captains deserve special kudos for all their work in organizing local teams: Sarah Jane Dooley (Halifax), Laura May (Montreal), Linda Yan (Vancouver), Julie Hannaford (Toronto), Kathleen Williams (Winnipeg), Julie McKenna (Regina), Claudette Cloutier (Calgary), Danielle Winn (Windsor), Daniella Liebregts (Niagara Region), Ann Hemingway (Ottawa – Gatineau), Kim Hebig (Saskatoon), Joanna Aegard (Thunder Bay), Michelle Penta (Hamilton/Burlington), Catherine Steeves (Guelph), Christy Sich (Kitchener – Waterloo), and Pam Ryan (Edmonton).
The San José State University MLIS Conveniently located everywhere.
• Quality education • Flexible programs • Face-to-face, hybrid, and/or online courses • Affordable tuition • Opportunities to gain professional experience
School of Library & Information Science http://slisweb.sjsu.edu
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 10 Renovations Improve City Centre Campus at GMC
Chris Miller, Reference Librarian City Centre Campus, GMC
The Library at MacEwan’s City Centre campus re-opened at the beginning of September after a summer renovation project. The renovations, which closed all but the east end of the second and third floors of the Library from May until the beginning of September, permitted the construction of new entrances. As a result, traffic, which used to flow through the Library and cause disruptions during class changes, has been redirected to corridors outside the Library. In addition, new stacks were set up before the Library re-opened to accommodate the growing collection of materials for MacEwan’s degree-granting programs. Other important changes include:
• the reconstruction of larger, more accessible Borrower Services and Technology Support desks, • Writing and Learning Services moved out of the Library and became part of Student Services, • there is increased student seating, study, and computer work space, and • wireless access was improved throughout the facility
A second phase of Library renovations will be done from May to August, 2008.
New Website The Library launched a new website over the Thanksgiving long weekend. The new site offers a more streamlined look while minimizing the number of levels users have to click through to reach important content. Sonya Betz and Gordon Bertrand, who began the redesign process in the spring, have also purchased a new server and added a new content management system to improve the site’s functionality. The Library’s URL (http://www.library.macewan.ca) will remain the same.
New Collection Developments The MacEwan Library has changed its lending policies to better serve faculty and students. Starting this September, faculty could have term-long loans on items from the main collection, with renewals for an additional term permitted. In addition, students and faculty are able to sign out current and bound periodicals for one week.
Finally, the Library has added records for E-books to its catalog. A link in each record will take the user directly to electronic books provided by Ebrary, Credo Reference, Gale Reference and Oxford Scholarship Online.
Innisfail Announces Plans for New Library
Current Innisfail Library Colleen Hayden, Head Librarian Innisfail Public Library
The Town of Innisfail has announced the planning stages of a brand new community library. A consultants report has been completed, a location has been selected and a committee is in place to commence fund-raising. The projected opening date is 2 – 3 years.
Our summer reading program for 2007 was attended by 306 children who explored pirates, dinosaurs, knights and dragons and the wild west. Educational entertainer and magician, Brian Lehr wowed the kids at a wrap-up event on August 24th.
Our local Dairy Queen donated 5 weekly certificates for children turning in simple book reports over the months of July and August. This year we had 660 reports submitted in our draw box, showing that reading for fun is alive and well in Innisfail!
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 11 Edmonton Welcomes 2007 PNLA Conference
Connie Forst PNLA Conference Chair
They came from all over to Edmonton. They came from as far north as Barrow, Alaska. They came from the east from as far away as New York City. They came from as far south as Aurora, Colorado. They came from places all across the United States. Over 250 librarians and library staff members from all across the Pacific Northwest representing school, public, academic and government libraries came to Alberta to partici- pate in the annual PNLA conference from August 8-11, 2007, which was held at the Delta Edmonton South Hotel and Conference Centre.
“The Boom to the Echo: The Multigenerational Impact on Libraries” was the conference theme and participants were able to take in more than 35 sessions on various topics of interest. Pre-conference sessions included tours to two branches of the Edmonton Public Library, the Alberta Legis- Marty Chan delivered a humorous and emo- lative Library, a management session on getting the most out tional keynote address. Look for Marty at ALC of email programs, and a session on personality profiles and as he will be one of the featured authors. generational demographics were offered. Conference ses- sions on Web 2.0, RFID, reference, collaborations, architectural design, management, reader’s advisory, leadership, programming, and collection development were just a sampling of the many choices available.
More than 27 vendors participated in the conference. A tremendous thank you is extended to all of them for coming to Edmonton and taking part, making connections, and meeting people from the Pacific Northwest.
The conference kicked off with greetings brought from Jason Openo, PNLA President; Alvin Schrader, Canadian Library Association President; Della Paradis, Library Association of Alberta President, and Linda Cook, Director of Edmonton Public Library. Keynote speaker, and local author, Marty Chan entertained delegates with his wit, humour and thoughtfulness on generational issues from his personal arsenal of material. The University of Alberta Libraries sponsored Marty’s presentation which was followed by a wonderful social for delegates to meet and mingle with sponsorship from the PNLA Board and Edmon- ton Public Library.
Our Thursday luncheon keynote was Punch Jackson who brought our conference delegates greetings from the province and shared with our American colleagues all the great and good things that are going on in Alberta. This overview provided delegates with the chance to get acquainted with Alberta libraries, our funding concerns and successes, projects that are on the go, and where we are headed in the future.
More than 50 participants joined in for the PNLA perennial event “Corks, Cans and Pops” which was held this year at Brewster’s Brewing Company. Library staff were able to meet and mingle, and enjoy the only off-site event of the conference. An enjoy- Boarding the bus for Brewsters for Cans and Corks, left able evening was held by all who attended and this to right, Anne Abrams, Gloria Longstaff, Dan Masoni, Andy event was sponsored in part by Legacy Library Becker, Della Jacobson and Christine Sheppard. Services.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 12 On Friday our luncheon keynote for the YRCA Awards Luncheon was Alberta author Sigmund Brouwer who was sponsored by Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as ORCA Books. Sigmund entertained delegates with tales of his challenges to writing, and targeting his writing to reluctant readers. His honesty and humour delighted participants, all of whom left the luncheon with a copy of one of his books for young audiences.
The conference was busy, action packed and tonnes of fun. Delegates were able to share ideas, communicate with others from across the Northwest, and take home goodies from vendors and sponsors. The conference closed with a banquet and entertainment performance, sponsored by Insignia Soft- ware, from the Frog Lake Star Hoop Dancers. In keeping with PNLA tradition we incorporated an aboriginal component into the conference program and were treated to a wonderful performance by six young dancers. It was a true delight to see.
Sigmund Brouwer
The PNLA Intellectual Freedom Silent Auction, which ran over the course of the conference, was also very successful this year in raising over $2075 in funds. We had over 130 items on the auction block and we were all totally delighted with it being so well received.
On the last day of the conference participants were able to take a guided tour through the City of Edmon- ton, as well as a bus tour out to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village and Elk Island National Park. In this manner we were able to show off some of our local and Frog Lake Star Hoop Dancers special highlights, as well as show off a bit of Alberta’s wonders. We were very fortunate to have nice weather and cooler temperatures for the whole week which delighted many of the participants who came from hot, forest fire areas to the south of us.
It was a wonderful event and it was definitely nice to hold it in our neck of the woods. One of the highlights of the PNLA conference is that it moves to each of the member regions. Highlighting Edmonton and Alberta was our chance to show off our region to other PNLA members, many of who had never been to Edmonton before. We were very fortunate to have an overwhelming response from Edmonton and area businesses in helping sponsor the conference, all of whom we can’t thank enough. To check out the final conference Outgoing President Jason Openo, formerly at Salem program please check out our website at www.pnla.org. And Public Library in Oregon and now Manager at if you are thinking about attending next year’s conference I’d Whitemud Crossing in Edmonton, with Incoming urge you to make plans to be in Post Falls, Idaho next August. President Connie Forst, Vegreville Public Library. We’d love to see you next summer in Idaho!
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 13 News from Calgary Public Library Joan Inwood
Calgary Public Library’s Writer in Residence Program presents Rona Altrows Saturday, September 8, 2007 saw the launch of this year’s edition of CPL’s popular Writer in Residence Program, featuring award winning author Rona Altrows. This program:
· Makes free professional advice on writing accessible to local writers; · Increases public awareness of the writing and publication process; · Further develops contacts between and among southern Alberta’s writers; and · Supports the Writer in Residence in her own writing projects.
Ms. Altrows will act as a mentor to writers in the community, reviewing manuscripts and providing constructive criticism and advice during individual consultations.
Pirate Pursuit! Summer Reading Adventure a Huge Success Thanks to solid promotion, streamlined registration and, most of all, an extremely fun and popular theme, participation in the Summer Reading Adventure doubled this year! Children read for more than 68,200 hours, proving that the book has not gone the way of Davy Jones’ locker. One simple example of the kind of response to this adventure comes from the mother of a BC youngster who was visiting in Calgary when the SRA started:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the wonderful reading adventure “Pirate Pursuit”. My daughter (5 years old) would anxiously await the next chapter the whole summer. It was a great read and encouraged her to read other great books as well. I have enclosed the book that we made together since we were reading along from Elkford, B.C. We thought we would make it look like a real treasure book. It was a great hit and I couldn’t be more pleased with the story and her desire to read. This is an amazing idea and a great way to keep the kids reading during the summer months.
CPL’s Literacy and Learning Advocate Awarded Canada Post Community Literacy Award As the Calgary Public Library’s first Literacy and Learning Advocate, Diana Villeneuve develops new approaches to literacy, such as waiving library card fees for low-income adult learners, establishing a literacy community on the Library website and initiating innovative programming ideas. She also participates in national literacy policy development and is on the Board of the Calgary Reads Society. Her special efforts were recognized on Saturday, September 8, 2007, during celebrations at CPL’s Crowfoot Library to mark International Literacy Day. The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Diana Villeneuve displaying her award was on hand not only to help present Diana with her award in the educator with Sandra Sobko and Lorie Semanski category, but also to entertain children with a special reading along with (Canada Post), and Minister Solberg other celebrity readers. (seated)
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 14 Issues in Teacher-Librarianship Course Back by Popular Demand
Joanne de Groot
The Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning (TLDL) program at the University of Alberta is pleased to announce that “Issues in Teacher-Librarianship: Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility” (EDES 501) will be offered again this coming summer.
The course was originally taught in July, 2006, with 29 students from across Canada and around the world all coming to the University of Alberta campus to participate in a week of learning and sharing.
The course was so successful that it is being offered again from July 2-5, 7-8, 2008 on campus at the University of Alberta. The course examines the concepts of intellectual freedom and social responsibility in librarianship and the wide range of issues having an impact on school libraries. Attention is given to the history, research, policy, and resources on these topics as well as practical issues facing school library professionals.
Drs. Dianne Oberg and Toni Samek will once again teach the course. Dianne Oberg is Professor and Chair of the Department of Elementary Education at the University of Alberta, and co-author of the award-winning Focus on Inquiry: A Teacher’s Guide to Implementing Inquiry-based Learning (with J. Branch, Alberta Education, 2004). Toni Samek is Associate Professor in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta, and the author of Librarianship and Human Rights: A Twenty-first Century Guide (Chandos Publishing, 2007).
In response to the first course, Dianne and Toni wrote: “We knew there was a need for this course but we were uncertain as to how it would be received. We wondered of we would get enough registrants to even run the course- we filled two sections! By the end of the first day, we could feel some magic in the room. By the close of the final day on campus, we saw the beginnings of a new community committed to supporting the rights of children. Certainly, we and many of the students completed the course with a strong appreciation of the need to address the core values of librarianship in a significant way in education for teacher-librarianship. Certainly, also, we re-affirmed for ourselves the critical importance of the values of intellectual freedom and social responsibility as key conditions for the development of democratic education and citizenship in the Canadian and global context.”
Some of the final papers from the 2006 course have been published in two journals: a special (forthcoming) issue of Teacher-Librarian Today and School Libraries in Canada (available online at: http://www.cla.ca/casl/slic/ vol26issue2.html). The specific topics addressed by the papers are diverse and represent many of the topics that were explored during the week long course: censorship, students’ privacy rights and in loco parentis, collection development with a social justice orientation, cuts to teacher-librarians as a threat to intellectual freedom, activist librarianship, and issues of peace and global education.
The Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning program became available in 1997; previously education for teacher-librarianship was offered on campus in a traditional face-to-face format. Our enrollment for 2007/2008 numbers over 35 students in the Master of Education program and about 50 students in the Diploma program. Our students are studying in cities and towns across Canada and in several countries around the world.
For more information about the program, or about the summer course “Issues in Teacher Librarianship: Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility”, please visit the TLDL website at: http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/tl-dl/ index.html or contact the program coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Branch at [email protected].
"In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others." - Andre Maurois
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 15 7th Annual Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop Go to www.augustana.ualberta.ca/library/workshop to register
When? Monday, December 10, 2007 (with optional Sunday, December 9 evening dinner). Where? Faith & Life Centre, Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta, Camrose, Alberta. Presenter: Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe
Presenter Biography: Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe is Head of the Undergraduate Library, Coordinator for Information Literacy Services and Instruction, and Associate Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also a member of the ACRL Information Literacy Institute Immersion faculty. The Undergraduate Library is known for its use of social networking to reach out and connect with students and is also in process of developing a next generation Learning Commons model. Lisa has worked to foster a culture of exploration and experimentation in “The Undergrad” as well as through her leadership of the Library’s User Education Committee. Lisa is internationally sought after as a conference speaker and is widely published in the field of information literacy.
Topic: Title: Student Engagement: Connecting with Learners through Interest, Understanding, and Support Abstract: Student-centered teaching can improve student learning, teacher satisfaction, and the classroom environment. Effectively implementing a student-centered approach to teaching can, however, be a challenge for even the most experienced instructors who may feel disconnected from how students think about the world or frustrated by what appears to motivate students. Through theories of student engagement and the practical approaches to formal and informal instruction that they offer, information literacy instructors can demonstrate their interest in students, understand their motivations and world views, and support their academic and lifelong learning success.
Registration Cost Early Bird (Oct. 16 - Nov. 30) $110 - Students $75; Full Registration (Dec. 1- Dec. 10) $150 - Students $100. Cost includes workshop handouts, lunch, and refreshments. There are no refunds on cancellation. However, transfer of person(s) attending from the same institution will be accommodated.
Transportation The deadline for transportation requests is November 30. After this date we are unable to ensure that your transportation request will be filled. Transportation between Camrose and the Edmonton International Airport: If you are flying into Edmonton and staying in Camrose, we can make arrangements for your transportation between the Edmonton International Airport and Camrose. The cost is $20 CDN roundtrip, please specify on your registration form if you would like this service, and be sure to provide your flight details. We will attempt to accommodate travelers arriving and departing between 8am and 9pm the day before, the day of, and day after the workshop.
Transportation between the Workshop and the Ramada Inn in Camrose: If you are staying at the Ramada Inn in Camrose, there will be free transportation to and from the Workshop. Please specify on your registration form if you would like this service. Transportation between Camrose and the University of Alberta in Edmonton: If you are coming from Edmonton, a shuttle will be provided for transportation between Edmonton and Camrose. This shuttle will leave from the Conference Center (attached to Lister Hall) at the University of Alberta Edmonton campus on Monday, Dec. 10 at 7:15 AM. The shuttle will return to the Edmonton campus, leaving Camrose following the completion of the Workshop at 4:15 PM. The cost is $20 CDN roundtrip. Please specify on your registration form if you would like this service. This will be limited to the first 14 registrants who request this service. Accommodations: Staying in Camrose at the Ramada Inn will provide excellent access to the Augustana Campus and for those planning to join us for the workshop dinner on Sunday evening. Rate: $119.99 for 1-2 people per night + taxes Add $10 for each extra person.
Additional Information: Nancy Goebel, Head Librarian, Augustana Campus Library, University of Alberta ph: 780.679.1189 fax: 780.679.1597 email [email protected].
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 16 Celebrate TD Canadian Children’s Book Week November 17-24, 2007 Mark your calendars November 17-24, 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of TD Canadian Children’s Book Week! Organized by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC), in conjunction with Storytellers of Canada/ Conteurs du Canada, Book Week gives 30 authors, illustrators and storytellers the opportunity to speak with over 25,000 children across Canada about their craft and the importance of creating and reading stories. CCBC has planned the following festivities and materials to bring this year’s theme, The Magic of Books/ Les livres, c’est magique, to life.
Book Week Touring Program CCBC is pleased to announce Scandinavian storyteller Sarah Granskou and Governor General Award-winning author/illustrator Robin Muller will tour Alberta, each making four public presentations in libraries or community centres. (The annual deadline to apply to host one of these artists, paid for by the Canada Council, is Sep 30)
The Imperial Oil Foundation Writing Contest Children in grades 2 to 6 are invited to submit their magical stories or poems for the chance of winning a $200 certificate to the bookstore of his or her choice. The winning works from each grade will be posted online. (Submission deadline is December 15, 2007. Download an entry form at www.bookweek.ca)
The Book Week Kit The Book Week Kit has been created to help you celebrate Canadian children’s literature during the week-long festival. It includes a full-colour poster by award-winning fantasy illustrator Martin Springett; 30 full-colour bookmarks; an annotated theme guide and activity suggestions; information about CCBC’s online directory of artists available for school and library visits; and Our Choice 2007, the essential guide to new and outstanding Canadian children’s books, magazines, audio and video. (Cost is $14.95 plus shipping. Download an order form at www.bookweek.ca)
Borrow Videos from the National Film Board The National Film Board of Canada, in conjunction with CCBC, will circulate select English and French DVDs to schools and libraries across the country. NFB will ship Talespinners-From Book to Film: Animated Classics by Sheldon Cohen, Three Wishes (only available in English) and/or Talespinners 2 at no cost; however, each recipient must pay the mailing costs to return them to the NFB. (Download a flyer at www.bookcentre.ca or email [email protected]).
TD Grade One Book Giveaway Program Every grade one student across Canada will receive a copy Le Zloukch, written by Dominique Demers and translated as The Zlooksh by Sarah Cummins. This delightful story encourages children to explore their imaginations. (Classroom numbers were submitted by Alberta Learning.)
If you would like any additional information about TD Canadian Children’s Book Week or the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, visit www.bookcentre.ca.
Was a Lewiston, Maine, woman right to take a sex education book — that she felt was inappropriate — off the shelves of two libraries and refuse to return them?
Choice Votes Percentage of 9425 Votes
Absolutely 474 5% Absolutely not 8969 94% I don’t know 128 1%
See the whole story at http://www.wmtw.com/news/14468436/detail.html
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 17 Around Red Deer in 60 days with the mezz Summer Reading Program
Jen Waters
Teen Services Librarian, Red Deer Public Library Books were made for travelling this year at Red Deer Public library as we kicked off the teen summer reading program with the “book yourself a trip” theme. Reading passports were created, as well as mezzos (currency named after the mezz teen area at RDPL that could be redeemed at the mezzanteen for prizes such as books, candy, gift certificates and toys,) and we planned a number of travel-related programs.
Travelling Pants program Our most popular program focused on the book series The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. It was simple to organize and implement and was by far the most successful program of the summer with more than 21 teens participating. The teens (not surprisingly all girls aged 10 - 15) brought their own pair of old jeans, which they decorated with glitter paint, sequins, beads, felt, buttons, and number of other assorted materials. After they finished decorating, we screened the Travelling Pants movie and provided snacks. There was some definite bonding during the program, as new friendships were formed and email addresses exchanged. Many of the girls fell into that much- appreciated tween age range – an enjoyable age not only because they are much more enthusiastic than the older teens, but also because these teens will be library users for a few years before they decide they are far too cool for library programs.
The Amezzing Race The Amezzing Race (inspired by the television show The Amazing Race) added a competitive flair to the summer. I am a big fan of teen programs based on reality television as they are fun both for me and the teens (past programs include Mezz’s Next Top Model, Food Fear Factor, and Library Idol). I also never get tired of using bad puns involving the mezz to name mezz-related programs. Rather than have the teens travel around the world, which would have a been a little pricey and logistically difficult, we planned The Amezzing Race, a three hour scavenger hunt around the City of Red Deer. Teens were required to bring in signed permission forms from their parents, which was half the battle in organizing the event as this was the first teen program to take place outside the walls of the library and there were many parents concerned about letting their kids loose in the city.
It was also a struggle to contact local businesses such as EB Games, Petland and the Real Canadian Superstore. We discovered that it is much better to target locally-run stores then larger chain stores that need to consult the omniscient head office before they can do anything fun. The fire station was a fantastic partner, as they set up an obstacle course that was amusing (and refreshing) for the kids, and posed for some photo opportunities as well. At each station the teens completed a challenge before receiving their next clue. The clue often had to be decoded before determining the location of the next station, including finding a statue of a famous Central Alberta beaver, figuring out that a Japanese character stood for “wasabi”, then finding that item on the shelf at Superstore and taking the bus half way across the city to clean out fish tanks at the pet store.
Despite the fact that July 5 was one of the hottest days of the summer (34+ degrees) we had 14 (7 teams of 2) teens register, along with just as many teen volunteers who helped man the stations. It was a competitive activity but this just motivated the kids even more, with some similar situations to those events on The Amazing Race television show (such as two boys flagging down a bus that had already left the terminal, and once on the bus telling the driver to keep going and not pick up the two girls who were also trying to catch that same bus). As a result, the former team won the race – along with two Ipod shuffles.
This program, though difficult to implement, was very successful and meaningful to the teens, although there were some obstacles (one teen got sunstroke, one got bitten by ants, one forgot his permission form so couldn’t participate, one team had a personality conflict and took two hours to get to the first station, and one team who missed the bus and ended up walking half way across town in the sweltering heat yelled “I hate you, Jen” as they crossed the finish line), this is an activity I believe they will remember and talk about for years to come.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 18 Manga fun at the Animethon Although it was not specifically part of the summer reading program, the Animethon in Edmonton was a riot and the 10 teens (from my mezz manga club) who attended had a great time. The day trip was planned in partnership with the Youth and Volunteer Centre (who provided an already-insured van for up to 15 passengers) and had been suggested earlier in the year by some of my charming manga geeks who had already started planning their costumes. As the YVC and RDPL were both partners in the program, we were able to pay for the cost of their admissions as well as transportation to and from Grant McEwan College, so the teens only had to provide their own spending and lunch money. It was an entertaining day which started at 7a.m., with some of the kids dressing up in costumes (I was Sailor Mercury), attending the trade show, watching some movies, buying some tacky merchandise and meeting like-minded anime and manga geeks. I was most amused by the large number of people who stopped me and asked to take a photo of my Sailor Mercury costume, as it made me feel like a celebrity (or at the very least, a Disney theme park character). Apparently Sailor Moon (which was a popular television show in the early 1990s) is now “retro” and cool once again, and the fact that I was a sailor librarian was even better.
SRP was “pretty good” The summer reading program was rounded out by such programs as a design your own country and flag day, be a tourist in your own town day (where kids took photos and created their own postcards), some movie nights and a couple gamer days, which were not as well attended as they have been previously, but I had a DDR workout of my own and am now determined to conquer a song called Speed over Beethoven on the first level.
If nothing else, my complete lack of coordination provided entertainment for the small number of participants. Overall the summer reading program was a success, with the mezzanteen being a big hit, lots of first timers becoming regular library users, and one local teen remarking that “Jen actually plans some pretty good programs”, which is high praise from a 15-year-old, don’t you think?
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Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 19 The Centennial Series Unveiled
Sandra E. Perry Legislature Librarian
The Centennial Series, which took more than 5 years to research and write, was unveiled to invited guests by the Honourable Kenneth R. Kowalski, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, in a ceremony held on May 30th in the Legislature Rotunda. The Speaker ex- plained that in “commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first sitting of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly, a variety of initiatives and events were undertaken throughout the year.” One of those initiatives resulted in the creation of a substantial series consisting of a four-volume set documenting Alberta’s parlia- mentary history:
· On Behalf of The Crown: Lieutenant Governors of the North-West Territories and Alberta, 1869-2005 · The Mantle of Leadership: Premiers of the North-West Territories and Alberta, 1897-2005 · A Higher Duty: Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the North-West Territories and Alberta, 1888- 2005 · A Century of Democracy: Elections of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, 1905-2005
The first three of these books were researched and written by teams of regular and project staff of the Legislature Library, led by Legislature Librarian Sandra E. Perry, Manager of Library Operations Valerie Footz and former Assistant Legislature Librarian Karen Powell. These team leads were very ably assisted by historian Dr. Philip Massolin, Premiers’ Book co-author Jessica Craig and contributing author Margaret Shane. These efforts were complemented by the very considerable talents of book designer Tracey Sales of the Communications Branch of the Legislative Assembly Office. The fourth book, A Century of Democracy was a joint production by the Office of the Clerk and the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. This effort was coordinated by Jody Rempel, at that time Special Assistant to the Clerk.
Among the many invited guests at the ceremony were the Honourable Norman Kwong and Mrs. Mary Kwong, former Lieutenant Governor the Honourable Helen Hunley, Premier Ed Stelmach, former Premier Don Getty and Mrs. Margaret Getty, Mrs. Kristina Kowalski and former Speakers Gerard Amerongen -along with his wife Mrs. Betty Amerongen- and Dr. David Carter. Also present was Mrs. Marguerite Dixon, widow of the late Art Dixon, Speaker 1963-1972. Deceased Lieutenant Governors, Premiers and Speakers were represented by family members and descendants, each of whom had provided the authors with insights about their well-known ancestor. Among these were: Kate Freeman, great granddaughter of Alberta’s first Premier Alexander Rutherford and Donna Mort, great granddaughter of Speaker Archibald Gillis, last Speaker (1903-1904) of the North-West Territories.
In unveiling the series the Honourable Ken Kowalski proudly stated, “The Centennial Series provides insight into the lives and careers of 26 Lieutenant Governors, 13 Premiers and 16 Speakers, as well as documenting all of Alberta’s general elections since 1905. The volumes….bring to life the great traditions and values of our parliamentary system and the fascinating history of our province.” Legislature Librarian Sandra Perry, in her remarks, was quick to pay tribute to all who worked on the series and to thank all the staff for their valuable contributions to the project and to maintaining the fine standard of library services that they provide.
All volumes in the series were thoroughly researched and extensively footnoted. The biographical essays contain many new facts, as revealed especially through the extensive family histories provided on each subject. Introductory essays, glossaries, illustrations, maps and tables present a rich supplement to the primary biographical content. It is hoped that The Centennial Series will prove to be a significant contribution to the legislative history of Alberta.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 20 News from the School
Heidi Julien, SLIS
Welcome to our news from the School of Library & Information Studies (SLIS), University of Alberta. We encourage feedback from the community, and invite you to learn more about us by visiting our web page (www.slis.ualberta.ca).
September is always an exhilarating time at SLIS, as we welcome a new group of students starting the MLIS and combined degree programs. We typically consider many more applicants than we have space to accommodate, so the students who are admitted are truly a spectacular bunch! This year we welcomed 40 new students (33 full- time, and 7 part-time) including one international student (from the U.S.), one Métis student, and a total of 12 students from outside Alberta. Three students have started the combined MA/MLIS degree. Students’ academic backgrounds are diverse, including Agriculture, Art History, Canadian Studies, Classical Works, Comparative Literature, Computer Science, Elementary Education, English, Hispanic Studies, History, International Relations, Law, Linguistics, Marketing, Modern Languages, Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology, Religious Studies, Secondary Education, Spanish American Studies, and Women’s Studies. In total, the new student body holds 48 undergraduate degrees and 5 graduate degrees from 32 different universities in Canada and elsewhere. Nearly three-quarters of the students are female, and the average age for all students is 30 years.
Dr. Alvin Schrader assumed his presidency of CLA at the CLA/APLA/NLLA National Conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland on May 26, 2007. He will serve a one-year term. President Schrader brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He holds a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Toronto, and a PhD, L.I.S., from Indiana University. He has held positions at Ontario Legislative Library and the Council of Ministers of Education Canada, both located in Toronto, and the Brampton (Ontario) Public Library.
Dr. Lisa Given has been appointed as the Director of the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology, which is based in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that she’s leaving SLIS. The appointment is a half-time secondment for a three-year term, so Lisa will still be an active member of the School in both teaching and research.
Thanks to Joanne Hilger for providing the statistical profile of students.
Alberta Library Conference 2008 April 24 - 27, Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper, Alberta
Keynote speakers John Wood: At age 35, John Wood left a distinguished executive career track at Microsoft Corporation to form Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that “combines the heart of Mother Theresa with the scalability of Starbucks” to help over one million children across the developing world break the cycle of poverty through the power of education. Since its inception in 2000, Room to Read has sponsored the opening of more than 280 schools and 3,800 multi-lingual libraries across the developing world. Loriene Roy: Loriene is the 2007-2008 President of ALA. She founded and directs “If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything,” a national reading club for Native children and “Honoring Generations,” an IMLS-funded graduate scholarship program for indigenous students. She has written extensively on these and other efforts.
Author talks Marty Chan: Marty Chan is a playwright, radio writer, television story editor, and young adult author. His signature play, Mom, Dad, I’m Living with a White Girl, has been produced across Canada, published three times, and broadcast as a radio drama. The stage play won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Best New Work and the Adams Chinese Theatre Award at Harvard University.
Guy Vanderhaeghe with Barney Bentall: Guy Vanderaeghe will discuss the process of re-conceiving written fiction into screenplay, as his novel The Englishman’s Boy has just been made into a film. Joining him on stage is premier Canadian singer/songwriter Barney Bentall, who has worked with Vanderhaeghe — swapping stories, playing music and writing songs — to create music inspired by the novel.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 21 Reading Buddies Encouraged Summer Reading Becky Cook Project Librarian Strathcona County Library
Objectives We planned to create a program in which elementary students are paired with older teen volunteers to read together in regular sessions during the summer. In particular, we wanted to meet these objectives:
· Promote the library and its materials to young people · Encourage reading over the summer · Provide an environment/activities that are supportive of new readers · Build relationships among young people and between these young people and the library · Provide a volunteer opportunity for teens
Recruitment & Publicity We began to publicize Reading Buddies in early May. This included information on our web site, in-house publicity such as posters, handouts, and our summer brochure. We also sent the information to both local newspapers, and to the Information and Volunteer Centre. Our purpose was to generate interest in the program and to attract the teen volunteers who would be partnered with the younger students.
We encouraged any interested teens in Grades 7-12 to fill out an application form, indicating their interests, experience and availability; this form was available at the Information desk and on our TeenZone web site. We needed 15 volunteers to match the 15 younger students who would register for the program. By our deadline of June 8th, we received 17 applications.
Reading Buddies was also promoted to families with young children in Grades 2-4, through our summer brochure, our What’s for Kids web site, and in-house posters. Shortly after our summer registration began on June 16, we had the number of registrants that we needed.
Reading Buddies Program A 1 hour orientation for teen volunteers was held in our program room on July 4, to introduce the teens to each other, clarify their role, and answer questions. Instructions were also given about what to expect from their buddy and how to approach the one-on-one reading.
The program took place over the next four weeks on Wednesday mornings on July 11, 18, 25, and August 1. One of the Children’s department’s summer students, Jenny Abramzik, assisted with the Reading Buddies program in several key ways, such as gathering suitable books for the buddies to choose from, preparing the program room, and organizing buddies into pairs.
At the start of a session, we would take attendance, hand out nametags, and match up buddies. Typically, this would take a few minutes while buddies arrived; once paired up, buddies would choose books and then select a place in the library to read together.
After about 25-30 minutes of reading, buddies would be called back into the program room and we would begin a group game or activity. Crafts, group stories, or guessing games were just some of the activities the buddies shared. Often these activities would involve the pairs of buddies that had just read together. We would also have a snack together at the end of the program.
Feedback Feedback forms were handed out to the younger students’ parents, and to the older volunteer buddies.
Some of the comments we received: “She loved Reading Buddies. It helped continue her reading during the summer, and she loved working with 'big kids'."
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 22 “She was waiting for Wednesday to come every week. She met new friends. She loves to read more than ever. She doesn’t have any big sister so that was a great program to team up with bigger girls.”
“Derek has really enjoyed Reading Buddies. We were only able to attend two classes but the classes he attended were wonderful.”
Several parents checked off words such as “enthu- siastic”, “motivated”, “energized”, “confident”, and “skilled”, when asked to consider the effect the program had on their child.
It was also apparent that the program had a positive effect on the teen volunteers; when asked what they liked most about the program, teens responded with the Reading Buddies participants Mark, Eric and Mike. following comments: “Spending time with the younger readers. It was neat to see the kids with different reading abilities.”
“Lending a hand and helping our buddies to improve their reading skills.”
“I enjoyed connecting with kids and encouraging them to read.”
“The younger buddies were really fun to read with, and the older buddies were so much fun to meet.”
Recommendations Based on feedback, both formal and informal, from the participating buddies and their parents, the pilot program of Reading Buddies had a positive impact. It was clear from the buddies’ enthusiasm that the partnership of teen volunteers and young students was mutually beneficial. To see the enjoyment of the buddies as they shared books together was to be a first-hand witness to many of the positive experience that the relationship created, both for younger buddies who are new to reading, and for the teen volunteers who benefit by sharing knowledge, support, and friendship.
It appears that the month of July is a suitable time to run the program since we received enough applications and registrations to go ahead.
Often, there were more volunteers than younger buddies. It was made clear during the volunteers’ orientation that their attendance was an important part of the program’s success, but it was more difficult to ensure that the younger buddies attend each session since many families with young children go on holidays in July. Recruiting one or two fewer volunteers may address this issue.
Receiving feedback from parents and volunteers was very helpful. It is recommended that next year we also ask for feedback from the younger buddies; this could be incorporated into the final one-on-one reading session that the buddies spend together.
This is a summary of our Reading Buddies summer program that was successfully planned and delivered by our Project Librarian, Becky Cook for 4 weeks during the month of July. Becky recruited and gave 15 teen volunteers an orientation and was assisted by our summer student. Many of the teen volunteers also assisted with the Library’s “Ready Set Read!” reading board game. 1,692 children played the reading game 9,106 times. 532 players completed the board game and received a brand new paperback, thanks to our corporate sponsor the Imperial Oil Foundation who also allowed us to offer our popular large scale family events free of charge. This year, our Magic Show with magician Brian Lehr was a big hit. Our new mascot “Reddy the Reader” was present at our wind up. All programs featured a sports theme in keeping with the Western Canadian Summer Games which took place in Strathcona County during August. -- Mary Card
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 23 ACROSS CANADA & BEYOND
Venezuela’s four-legged mobile libraries
A university in Venezuela is using a novel method to take books into remote communities and encourage people to read. As James Ingham reports, the scheme is proving a great success.
Chiquito and Cenizo greet me with a bit of a snort and a flick of the tail. Mules are too tough to bother being sweet. They do a hard job which no other animal or human invention can do as well. But these mules are rather special.
They are known as bibliomulas (book mules) and they are helping to spread the benefits of reading to people who are isolated from much of the world around them.
My trek started from the Valley of Momboy in Trujillo, one of Venezuela’s three Andean states. These are the foothills of the Andes but they are high enough, especially when you are walking.
Slow but steady The village children love reading the books that The idea of loading mules with books and taking them into the the mules bring. mountain villages was started by the University of Momboy, a small institution that prides itself on its community- based initiatives and on doing far more than universities in Venezuela are required to do by law.
Accompanying us was local guide Ruan who knows a thing or two about mules. He was their boss, cajoling them carefully as they started up the hill at a slow-but-steady, no-nonsense plod. The deeply rutted, dry and dusty path snaked its way up. The sun beat on the back of my neck. We were all breathless, apart from Ruan.
Diving for books "Spreading the joy of reading A break came when it was my turn to ride a mule. I enjoyed a great view of the is our main aim." valley but held on tight as Chiquito veered close to the edge. Hot and slightly Christina Vieras, project leader bothered after two hours, we reached Calembe, the first village on this path. Anyone who was not out working the fields - tending the celery that is the main crop here - was waiting for our arrival. The 23 children at the little school were very excited.
“Bibilomu-u-u-u-las,” they shouted as the bags of books were unstrapped. They dived in eagerly, keen to grab the best titles and within minutes were being read to by Christina and Juana, two of the project leaders.
“Spreading the joy of reading is our main aim,” Christina Vieras told me. “But it’s more than that. We’re helping educate people about other important things like the environment. All the children are planting trees. Anything to improve the quality of life and connect these communities.”
Internet plans As the project grows, it is using the latest technology.
Somehow there is already a limited mobile phone signal here, so the organisers are taking advantage of that and equipping the mules with laptops and projectors. The book mules are becoming cyber mules and cine mules. “We want to install wireless modems under the banana plants so the villagers can use the internet,” says Robert Ramirez, the co-ordinator of the university’s Network of Enterprising Rural Schools. “Imagine if people in the poor towns in the valley can e-mail saying how many tomatoes they’ll need next week, or how much celery. “The farmers can reply telling them how much they can produce. It’s blending localisation and globalisation.”
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 24 Local enthusiasm "I love reading books and we get The book mule team played noisy games with the children, listened to them read told some really nice stories." and lunched with the adults, discussing over a hearty soup and corn bread how Jose Castillo 12 years old the community can develop the scheme.
This four-legged mobile library is not just keeping this place alive but making it thrive One idea was using the mules to transport medicines which can be so hard to get hold of here. Everyone I spoke to - both adults and children - was full of enthusiasm. “It’s great,” said 12-year-old Jose Castillo. “I love reading books and we get told some really nice stories.” Looking up from reading her book about Harry the cat and his trip to the vet, Gesenae Guerdo told me she loved reading too. “We share a lot of these books,” she said.
Javier Sulveran, a young, bright man in his twenties, tells me that the village is very supportive of the project: “The children are really motivated to read and we are too. A lot of the adults are reading more. It’s great that they come up here.”
The university has acquired a new mule. They are going to keep it in Calembe under the care of the locals, something Javier really approved of. The mule will be able to get further into the mountains and spread the word to more villages that so far remain too remote.
With fond farewells we left Calembe behind. It was clear I was leaving a place with a strong sense of community. This four-legged mobile library is not just keeping this place alive but making it thrive.
Story from BBC NEWS From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Saturday, 4 August, 2007 at 1130 BST on BBC Radio 4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6929404.stm Published: 2007/08/04
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Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 25 WHAT'S IN AN ACRONYM
The following acronyms appear in this issue or are commonly used in the library community. AACL Alberta Association of College Librarians AALT Alberta Association of Library Technicians ALA American Library Association ALC Alberta Library Conference ALTA Alberta Library Trustees Association APLEN Alberta Public Library Electronic Network ARMA Association of Records Managers and Administrators ASLC Alberta School Libraries Council BCLA British Columbia Library Association BCPL Baltimore County Public Library BPA Book Publishers Association of Alberta CACUL Canadian Association of College and University Libraries CARLS Chinook Arch Regional Library System CCBC Canadian Children’s Book Centre CLA Canadian Library Association CPL Calgary Public Library CUC Canadian Union College EPL Edmonton Public Library FLA Foothills Library Association GELA Greater Edmonton Library Association GMC Grant MacEwan College HHTA Happy Holidays to All IFLA International Federation of Library Associations JPL Jasper Park Lodge LAA Library Association of Alberta LISSA Library and Information Studies Students' Association NAIT Northern Alberta Institute of Technology NLLS Northern Lights Library System OJS Open Journal Systems PLA Public Libraries Association PNLA Pacific Northwest Library Association PKP Public Knowledge Project RFID Radio Frequency Identification RDPL Red Deer Public Library SAIT Southern Alberta Institute of Technology SLA Saskatchewan Library Association SLIS School of Library and Information Studies (U of A) TAL The Alberta Library TLDL Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning (U of A) TRAC The Regional Automation Consortium U of A University of Alberta U of C University of Calgary U of T University of Toronto YRCA Young Reader's Choice Awards YRL Yellowhead Regional Library YVC Youth and Volunteer Centre
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 26 FORTHCOMING EVENTS
2007 Nov. 23 Yellowhead Regional Library Public Libraries Conference. Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort. The cost is $135.00 per person, which includes lunch, coffee breaks and conference materials. Linda Cook, director of Edmonton Public Library will be the keynote speaker for the day. Come and hear engaging speakers on topics such as usable web design, community targeted programming, barrier free architecture, and information literacy. Visit our displayer showcase to see new books, library furniture, and new databases. The conference brochure, registration form and hotel information are available at: www.yrl.ab.ca/core/ workshops.html
2008 January 27 10th annual Family Literacy Day®. Founding sponsor Honda Canada and ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation offer a series of family tips for fun activities to help build literacy skills. These various activities are listed on www.abc-canada.org/fld. While visiting the site, families can also enter the Munsch at Home contest to win a special visit from Canadian children’s author Robert Munsch and a 10th year special treat – a weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Feb. 22-22 Winter Institute on Statistical Literacy for Librarians. University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. This training event will provide strategies and skills for finding, evaluating and retrieving statistics and will be useful to information professionals working in academic, public and special libraries. The instructional focus is on making digitally published statistics more accessible as information to librarians and their patrons. The conference is restricted to 30 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. The registration fee is $250 and includes continental breakfast, coffee breaks and lunch. For more information and to register, visit http://wisll.library.ualberta.ca.
Feb. 24-Mar. 1 Freedom to Read Week. For information, visit www.freedomtoread.ca/
March 25-29 12th PLA National Conference. Minneapolis, MN. The biennial National Conference is the premier event for the public libraries, drawing librarians, library support staff, trustees, Friends, and library vendors from across the country and around the world. For information, visit www.placonference.org.
April 17-19 2008 BC Library Conference, "Off the Shelf and Out of the Box: Creativity and Libraries". Best Western Richmond Hotel and Convention Centre in Richmond, BC. For information, visit www.bcla.bc.ca.
April 24-27 Alberta Library Conference. "Reach Out: Step Away from the Desk." Jasper, AB. For information, visit www.albertalibraryconference.com.
May 1-4 Alberta Association of Library Technicians Annual Conference. Red Deer Lodge, Red Deer, AB. For information, visit www.aalt.org.
May 21-24 CLA Annual Conference. "Libraries and Publishing 3.0: Connecting Authors to Readers in the Digital Age". Vancouver, BC. For information, visit www.cla.ca.
June 26-July 2 ALA Annual Conference. Anaheim, CA. For information, visit www.ala.org/annual.
Aug. 10-15 74th IFLA Conference. World Library and Information Congress. "Libraries without Borders: Navigating Towards Global Understanding". Quebec City. For information, visit www.ifla.org
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 27 LETTER OF THE LAA EDITORIAL POLICY EXCERPTS The Letter of the LAA is the official newsletter of the Library Association of Alberta and is distributed by the 15th of January, April, July and October. Its purpose is to serve as a publicity and informational tool; as a forum for provincial library issues; as an information link between associations and types of libraries; and to report on the activities of the Board of Directors.
Submissions to the Letter of the LAA are solicited from the LAA Board and its Committees, affiliated associations and LAA members. The Editor reserves the right to edit any submission for grammatical and spelling errors and length. The Editor also reserves the right not to include a submission for reasons of accuracy, appropriateness or currency. Items such as bibliographies or articles containing thinly-disguised product advertising will not normally be included. Submissions are due by the 15th of March, June, September and December.
Please make submissions electronically to [email protected]. The Letter of the LAA is published in Arial Font, size 10. Please use a single space after a period and do not include boxes or other special formatting. Feature articles of 1,000-2,500 words on any topic in librarianship or a related field are welcome. We are always looking for short 400-500 word descriptions of great ideas in libraries.
The complete editorial policy is available by request from the Editor or the Executive Director of LAA.
The opinions expressed by the contributors to Letter of the LAA do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Library Association of Alberta. LETTER OF THE LAA Advertising Rates Effective January 1, 2007
Advertising rates are as follows, based on four issues per year:
Next deadline for Full page ad 7" by 10" $195 per issue or $702/year newsletter submissions Half page ad 7" by 5" or 3 1/4" by 10" $105 per issue or $378/year is December 15, 2007. Quarter page ad 3 1/4" by 5" $ 60 per issue or $216/year Business card standard size $ 40 per issue or $144/year The editor welcomes First measurement is width. GST will be added to the above rates. articles and letters Ads that are other sizes are charged at the rate for the next larger ad. as well as your LAA members (personal, commercial or institutional) receive a 10% comments and discount on single issue advertisements. Business card ads and suggestions. annual rates are not discounted. Advertising copy deadlines: March 15, June 15, September 15 and Please email to: December 15 Christine Sheppard Electronic ads accepted. The newsletter is in full colour. Newsletter Editor The newsletter is distributed to members in electronic format. [email protected] Conference exhibitors may, with their exhibit application, have a business card ad in the January or April issue for $25.
The editor gratefully acknowledges the following proofreaders for Letter of the LAA: Linda Cook, Edmonton Public Library; Della Paradis, NAIT; and Karen Labuik, Marigold Library System.
Letter of the LAA Fall 2007 28