AL Direct, July 2, 2008 Contents U.S. & World News ALA News Booklist Online Division News Awards Seen Online Tech Talk Publishing The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | July 2, 2008 Actions & Answers Calendar U.S. & World News Mesa board cuts librarians “It’s not over. We’re going to continue to do what we can both in Mesa and in Arizona,” Fund Our Future Arizona spokesperson Ann Ewbank told American Libraries June 27, three days after the Mesa Public School board implemented as part of its FY2008–09 budget the replacement over three years of every school library media specialist in the district with library aides. Other Arizona school systems now eyeing the cost of school library programs are the Humboldt Unified School District in Prescott Valley and the Glendale Elementary School District.... Bay County director hired after two-year hiatus After two years without a director, Bay County (Mich.) Library System has appointed Thomas H. Birch Jr. to the position, effective July 21. Birch’s appointment comes some six months after voters approved an For news of ALA Annual operating-millage renewal that was 2/10ths of a mill less than two 1- Conference, see AL mill levies that were defeated in 2006. “We’re feeling very good about Direct’s special post- moving ahead on a whole variety of things,” board Chairman Don conference issue, to be Carlyon told American Libraries.... emailed Monday, July 7. OCLC: National marketing campaign could hike funding From Awareness to Funding: A Study of Library Support in America, a new report issued by OCLC, examines the potential of a national marketing campaign to increase awareness of the value of public libraries and the need for support for libraries at local, state, and national levels. With funding from a $1.2-million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, OCLC partnered with the research and advertising agency Leo Burnett to conduct the research.... ALA News Branding is a part of the marketing process ALA Annual Conference draws that focuses on 22,000 to Anaheim developing a laser- clear message and the Sunny California skies and the dazzle of http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2008/july/070208.htm[7/17/2014 1:33:52 PM] AL Direct, July 2, 2008 means to Disneyland greeted some 22,000 communicate that librarians and library lovers in Anaheim message to the for the ALA 2008 Annual Conference and intended audience. As Exhibition. Commencing June 26 and assistant director of running through July 2, the conference the Lucius Beebe kicked off with an opening session Memorial Library in featuring political pundit Ron Reagan, son of late President Ronald Wakefield, Reagan, who brought the crowd to its feet with stinging observations Massachusetts, about “what’s going on in Washington.” (Detailed conference news will Elizabeth Doucett appear in a special post-conference issue of AL Direct on July 7.)... conducted the first of the library branding ALA receives $1 million gaming programs that formed grant from Verizon the basis for Creating ALA will launch an innovative project to measure Your Library Brand. the impact of gaming on literacy skills and build By following her a model for library gaming that can be deployed guidance, libraries can nationally. Funding for the project will be begin to develop provided by a $1 million grant from the Verizon branding that makes a Foundation. ALA will work directly with 12 leading gaming experts to difference. NEW! document the use of gaming as a literacy tool and monitor the results From ALA Editions. of gaming initiatives. The information will be used to build The Librarians’ Guide to Gaming, a comprehensive, online, literacy and gaming toolbox which will then be field-tested by additional libraries.... In this issue The ALA Library in Second Life June/July 2008 ALA Library Reference Specialist Valerie Hawkins writes: “A new development in my reference duties has been appearing in and responding to questions while in the Second Life virtual world, specifically on ALA Island, in the Member Lounge, as the avatar, ALALIbraryVal Miles. My virtual self has already conducted an in-world book talk (discussing the various books available that teach and instruct about living and thriving in Second Life) and created an in-world scavenger hunt (directing avatars to some of the more interesting locations and destinations in Second Life).”... ALA Marginalia, June 28 Your Circle of Wellness Be Outstanding in Your Fieldwork Conference Featured review: Books for youth Preview: California Dreamin’ McClafferty, Carla Killough. In Defiance of Hitler: The Secret Mission of Varian Fry. Tastes for All Tastes Sept. 2008. 280p. Farrar, hardcover (978-0- 374-38204-9). California Libraries: Rescue stories bring hope to the Holocaust Places of Diversity darkness, and this stirring account of a young New York City journalist who secretly helped more than 2,000 refugees escape Nazi-occupied France blends exciting adventure with the grim history. Before the U.S. entered the war, Fry, 32, spent a year http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2008/july/070208.htm[7/17/2014 1:33:52 PM] AL Direct, July 2, 2008 in Marseilles, using his relief organization as a cover for a hidden rescue operation which saved well-known artists, politicians, and scientists, including Marc Chagall and Heinrich Richard Boss has Mann. In fact, part of the story is how Fry chose the few to completed two new save from all the desperate who lined up at his office.... Tech Notes for the Public Library @ Visit Booklist Online for other reviews and much more.... Association, both downloadable in Word format: “Automated Storage-Retrieval and Return-Sorting Division News Systems,” and “Open Source Integrated Library Software.” AASL honors retiring SLMR editor AASL honored the retirement of Daniel Callison as editor of its refereed research journal, School Library Media Research, during the ALA Annual Conference in Career Leads Anaheim, California. Callison served as journal editor from 1997 to 2007. Callison is professor and dean in from the School of Continuing Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he has worked since 1979.... Second AASL longitudinal survey results due in Director, Schaumburg August Township (Ill.) District AASL is expecting final results in August of the second in a series of Library. The Library’s longitudinal surveys providing data on the health of the nation’s school central building is the library media programs. The findings from the studies will be used to second largest public advocate for school library media programs at the local, state and library building in the national level. This year’s survey focused on the use of social state and the Library is networking tools by school library media specialists and their teacher the third busiest public collaborators in elementary and secondary schools.... library in Illinois. With over 300 employees and an operating budget of $14 million, Awards the library strives to be a leader in innovative library services. 2008 Diversity Research Grants Through a team- The ALA Office for Diversity has announced the oriented management recipients of the Diversity Research Grants for 2008. philosophy, the library The grants consist of a one-time $2,000 annual award is respected for its for original research on a topic involving diversity and a technological and $500 travel grant to attend and present at the ALA customer-friendly Annual Conference. The winners are John Pruitt services.... (University of Wisconsin-Rock County), Jamie Campbell Naidoo (right, University of Alabama SLIS), and Eun-Young Yoo (North Carolina Central University SLIS).... @ More jobs... Eglin AFB wins library of the year Air Force officials announced June 12 that Eglin Base Library in Valparaiso, Florida, was the winner Digital Library of the Air Force Library of the Year award. The of the Week library was recognized for its outstanding customer focus and satisfaction by hosting authors and creating 25 educational summer reading programs for all ages which efforts logged approximately 1,000 participants in just three months.... http://aldirect.ala.org/sites/default/al_direct/2008/july/070208.htm[7/17/2014 1:33:52 PM] AL Direct, July 2, 2008 Air Force Link, June 26 OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship OCLC has announced a new OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program designed to provide a unique opportunity for aspiring library professionals from historically underrepresented groups. The 12-month program offers the selected Fellow two 90-day assignments within Kansas State University specific divisions of OCLC, and one six-month assignment with a has digitized, mostly in specific operating unit within the OCLC organization. Applications will full text, hundreds of be accepted between July 15 and August 29.... Kansas Agricultural OCLC, June 30 Experiment Station 2008 Kansas Notable Books publications produced between 1888 and The Kansas Center for the Book at the State Library 1945. These documents in Topeka released the 2008 Kansas Notable Books provide a wealth of list June 22. The list includes 15 fiction, nonfiction, information about farm and children’s books that are considered to be the life at the time. All are best books published by Kansas authors or about available for Kansas in the preceding year. The authors will be downloading as PDF honored at an evening reception at the Reading files. Festival in Lawrence on September 27.... Kansas Center for the Book, June 22 Do you know of a digital library collection that we can mention in this AL Direct Seen Online feature? Tell us about it. Georgia State: Online course reserves are fair use In a closely watched copyright-infringement lawsuit, Georgia State Public University fired back at its accusers, three academic publishers who Perception say the institution invites students to illegally download and print How the World readings from thousands of works.