GENERAL NEWS: SCLA, 5 Things to Do

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Well I'm back in the saddle after my first South Carolina Library Association meeting! You all are just too much fun! Joyce and Quincy and all of the SCLA leadership were just as gracious and hospitable as could be! I've never felt more welcome and it was wonderful meeting SLIS alumni and other leaders in the field. I still hope to make it to every library in the state * let's see how far I get. I want to thank our student volunteers for helping at the conference * love seeing the future in your spirits. SCLA is in Columbia next year so count on us to roll out the red carpet. Thank you so much for a wonderful conference!

The end of the semester is always stressful for everyone. Take time to put your feet up, take a deep breath and think a good thought * it really does help. We have our SLIS Holiday Party this Saturday night and I hope many of you will be there. This Friday is our combined staff/faculty meeting and a potluck extravaganza follows. This year we drew names and chose a charity to give to that matches the interested of the person. Will let you know how much fun we have.

Here are your 5 things to do, read or think about.

1. From Curtis Rogers: The SCLA annual conference photos are now on flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisrogers/sets/72157594401473586/ (he's so good!)

2. AASL Learning Standards draft available for feedback through December 8. In order recognize the changing role of school library media programs now and in the future, AASL has begun to develop new learning standards for school library media programs. Please review the draft learning standards at
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslproftools/learningstandards/standards.htm

3. Libraries must consider changes in both policy and technology to remain relevant to the next generation of students and this article by McDonald and Thomas provides the rationale. "Disconnects Between Library Culture and Millennial Generation Values" http://www.educause.edu/apps/eq/eqm06/eqm0640.asp?bhcp=1

4. Remember from last update the article about preserving digital content? Here is what Brewster Kahle and his Internet Archive are doing. "On the Net: Where Web Sites Go to Die"By JAKE COYLE, The Associated Press http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/21/AR2006112101087.html

5. Don't forget: the SC State Library has a number of continuing education opportunities for staff and trustees during the next couple of months. To register go to: or contact Julie Boller at jboller@statelibrary.sc.gov or Deborah Hotchkiss at dhotchkiss@statelibrary.sc.gov .

All the best to you and let me know if there is anything you need.

sam