AL Direct, May 4, 2011 Contents American Libraries Online ALA News Booklist Online New Orleans Update Division News Round Table News Awards Seen Online Tech Talk The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | May 4, 2011 Publishing Actions & Answers New This Week Calendar American Libraries Online Tornados rip apart several libraries in the South Library officials in the southern United States are assessing the extent of damage caused by a violent tornado outbreak April 25–28 that killed at least 339 people and left billions of dollars in property damage. The Pratt City branch of Birmingham (Ala.) Public Library was severely damaged and lost its roof, although its book collection and the Pratt City Historical Archives housed there somehow stayed dry. A host of volunteers that included Alabama State Librarian Rebecca Mitchell helped salvage undamaged equipment, shelving, and materials, Melinda Shelton of BPL told American Libraries.... American Libraries news, May 4 Keeping library digitization legal Bobby Glushko writes: “The ability to digitize hard copies, the proliferation of born-digital content, and increased access to online distribution hold the promise of improved access to library materials. Despite these advances, the legal issues surrounding collections increasingly hinder libraries and archives in providing this access. This hurdle can be overcome by a mixture of good policy, careful action, a reliance on the protections afforded to libraries and archives by the law, and a healthy attitude toward working with lawyers.”... American Libraries feature 10 ways libraries matter in a digital age Greg Landgraf writes: “After ‘10 Reasons Why the Internet is No Substitute for a Library,’ a 2001 article in American Libraries, received some unwelcome attention two weeks ago, we sought your feedback to help create an updated version. Based on reader comments and staff discussions, we’ve drafted this list of reasons why libraries http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2011/may/050411-2.htm[7/17/2014 3:13:16 PM] AL Direct, May 4, 2011 matter in a digital age. We welcome your additions to this list.”... AL: Inside Scoop, May 4 Overdues Q. We’re reviewing our policies on overdue fines and are looking for resources to guide our investigations. What’s out there? A. Ideally, of course, everyone borrowing a book from a library would return it on time, or even a little early, so other library users would be able to use the book. The reality is different, so libraries developed the economic incentive of the overdue fine. We don’t know how much libraries, as a whole, collect in fines, as both major statistical reports roll the amount collected as fines in with other sources of revenue.... AL: Ask the ALA Librarian, May 4 Last chance to take the American Libraries survey American Libraries seeks your input and opinions in order to be sure that we offer the most useful content and information in the most accessible formats. We’re asking for less than 10 minutes of your time to take an online survey about your use of the AL suite of products. If you provide your email address, we’ll enter you for a chance to win $500 worth of books from Random House. May 15 is the deadline.... Obituaries Ursula Meyer (right), 83, director of library services in the Stockton–San Joaquin County (Calif.) Library System from 1974 until her retirement in 1994, died April 15. Meyer served as president of the California Library Association in 1978 and on ALA Council from 1974 to 1979. Marguerite Carden, 83, former assistant director of Miami-Dade Public Library System, died on March 30.... AL: Currents ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, June 23– 28, 2011. Early Bird rates ALA News end May 4. Advance registration rates are in effect through May 13. Maureen Sullivan elected ALA president Maureen Sullivan (right), an organization development consultant, has been elected 2012– 2013 ALA president. She defeated Susan Stroyan, information services librarian at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, in the spring election. Sullivan received 5,259 votes, and Stroyan received 3,642 votes. Sullivan will become president in June 2012, following the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. Thirty-four members were also elected to three- AL Direct readers: For year terms on the ALA Council.... a limited time get 50% Office of ALA Governance, Apr. 29 off a new subscription to Booklist Online. Welcome to Choose Privacy Week Just fill out the http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2011/may/050411-2.htm[7/17/2014 3:13:16 PM] AL Direct, May 4, 2011 OIF Director Barbara Jones writes: “Librarians subscription form and firmly hold to the principle that freedom to read is enter “ALDirect” in the not possible if the government is looking over your Promotion Code by shoulder. We thank the Open Society Institute for May 31. Click here to its confidence that libraries are the perfect places start. NEW! From to teach and practice privacy. Because of OSI’s Booklist. support, we are able to celebrate Choose Privacy Week May 1–7 to create public awareness and programming on privacy and libraries.”... Privacy and Youth, May 2 New this week in American Cory Doctorow’s radical proposition Libraries for libraries Speaking to ALA’s Privacy and Youth Conference from London via Skype on March 25, author and privacy advocate Cory Doctorow (right) offered attendees a thought-provoking assessment of the privacy landscape for young people today. His “radical proposition” that libraries become islands of networked privacy best practices—places where young people are educated and empowered to take charge of their digital lives—provided provocative fodder for conference participants’ discussions. Watch the entire session here (51:09).... Legal digitization Privacy and Youth, May 3; Vimeo, May 2 Currents ALA Virtual Library Legislative Day ALTAFF’s Virtual Library Legislative Day is part of the ALA National Perpetual Beta Library Legislative Day on May 9–10, when hundreds of library advocates will descend on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Inside Scoop Congress and their staffs. Library advocates who cannot make it to Capitol Hill for the event can still be a part of the effort by calling and Ask the ALA emailing their elected officials on May 10, or any time during the Librarian week of May 9–13. Talking points for Virtual Library Legislative Day can be found in the briefing materials.... Green Your Library ALTAFF, May 3 Librarian’s Library Tweet your Senator to support teen services Solutions and May 9–10 is National Library Legislative Day and Services it only takes a minute of your time to make a difference. All you need is internet access and a AL Focus Twitter account. Visit YALSA’s Google map of U.S. Senators to locate your legislator and click on the “Tweet me” link. To learn more about other ways can advocate for library services to teens specifically, visit Great Libraries the YALSA wiki.... of the World YALSA Blog, May 3 Get your 2010 legislative scorecards The ALA Washington Office has released 2010 Legislative Scorecards for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each scorecard outlines votes and support of legislation that is important to and has an impact on the library community. The Washington Office encourages library advocates to use this scorecard as a tool to gauge their elected officials’ support of library-related legislation.... District Dispatch, May 3 Harry Ransom Center, University of ALA, ARL support funding the U.S. Statistical Texas, Austin. Founded Abstract in 1957 as a http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2011/may/050411-2.htm[7/17/2014 3:13:16 PM] AL Direct, May 4, 2011 Now that Congress has completed the FY2011 budget and returned humanities research from a two-week recess, it will turn its attention to the FY2012 center by University budget process. In light of this, ALA and the Association of Research Vice President Harry Libraries sent a joint letter to the Appropriations committees of the Huntt Ransom, the House (PDF file) and Senate (PDF file) urging them to support funding library’s major for the Statistical Compendia Branch.... emphasis is the study District Dispatch, May 3 of the literature and culture of the United ALA Virtual Town Hall meeting, June 1 States, Great Britain, There are some seats still available for ALA’s first Virtual Town Hall on and France. The center Wednesday, June 1, 3–4:30 p.m. Central Time, online. Participants offers scholars the will discuss reports on e-books and the Association’s response to this opportunity to emerging issue, along with progress on ALA’s 2015 Strategic Plan and examine such rare a report on advocacy initiatives during Roberta Stevens’s presidential items as 13th-century year. Registration closes on May 31.... Italian verse, early ALA Membership Blog, Apr. 28 map renderings of the moon, European OITP Digital Literacy Task Force broadsides, 17th- The Office for Information Technology Policy advisory committee century English authorized a Digital Literacy Task Force at the 2011 Midwinter dramatic poetry, early Meeting. Staff have now completed a roster (PDF file) of members examples of who will look across all types of library settings to identify common microphotography, concerns and develop a shared vision for improving services and avant-garde theater positioning libraries in this evolving role. The Task Force will begin its design, modern French work with an environmental scan.... musical composition, District Dispatch, May 4 literary portraiture, the art of caricature, National Library Week, 2011 censorship in National Library Week 2011 was observed April Hollywood, and the 10–16 with the theme, “Create your own story work of contemporary @ your library.” During the week, libraries African novelists.