GENERAL NEWS: SLIS Update, Cocky's reading express Red Carpet, Book Festival and Five Things to Think About

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Just a note to let you know that all is well at the SLIS. Davis College, our beautiful building will be one hundred years old this fall. We will be celebrating with a birthday party on October 25, 2009 so save the date. That is also when our ALA Committee on Accreditation, External Review Panelists will be here. I know they will want to see and talk with many of you!

The premiere of the Cocky’s Reading Express™ video was a great success. Photos from the event are linked off of http://cockysreadingexpress.com/ and you can also view the video there. This is a very powerful program and we are beginning to collect the data and evidence to show that when Cocky reads to children, they read! Thanks to all involved in making it a classy night!

This coming weekend is the Book Festival http://www.scbookfestival.org/. Of course, we are right in the midst of the fun! We will have a booth in the exhibit hall and several of us have roles as moderators or introducers in the sessions. On Friday morning, Cocky, Mrs. Moore-Pastides, Hellen Fellers and Ellen Hinrichs will welcome 400 children to a fun-filled read-in. Please stop by the Civic Center if you want to be a part of something wonderful!

Also on Friday, February 27 we have our strategic planning session for accreditation with our National Advisory Council and the Diversity Leadership Group! This is a most important part of our self-study and we look forward to working with our constituents. I’ll let you know how it goes!

So far we are holding our own in the budget scenarios. I send huge hugs to each of you that have sent your contributions to help us through these tough times! You have no idea how very important these dollars are to us right now! Thank you!

I am waiting for spring, ready to put my toes in the grass and dance with the flowers. In the meantime, here are some things to read and think about:

1. In Web Age, Library Job Gets Update [The New York Times]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/books/16libr.html

2. Librarian Opposes Google's Library Fees [All Things Considered]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100969810

3. Library Hip As Economy Suffers [MSNBC]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29255899/

4. The Library Web Site of the Future [Inside Higher Ed]

http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/02/17/bell

5. What will the library of the future look like? [Los Angeles Times]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/02/what-will-the-l.html

All best wishes and let me know if there is anything we can do for you!

Yours,

Sam

GENERAL NEWS: ALISE Conference Recap and Five Things

Hello dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am pleased to report that we were a big hit at the ALISE conference in Denver. Our doctoral students presented three posters for the Works-in-Progress session and I received several comments about how advanced they are for being second year Ph.D. students. We knew that! Also our faculty presented several sessions including:

· Feili Tu, library and information science, “Can Master’s Level Students in LIS Programs Provide Effective Virtual Reference Services (VRS)? A Report of a LIS Education Program and ASERL Collaborative Initiative,”

· Feili Tu, library and information science, “How a Simulated Library in the Second Life World Enhances Library and Information Science (LIS) Education: An LIS Education Program Study,”

· Ron Brown and Feili Tu, “Evaluating the Use of Second Life by Libraries and Other Information Environments,”

· Donna Shannon, “Meeting the Student Learning Outcomes Requirements for NCATE and ALA Accreditation,”

· S. K. Hastings and Charles Bierbauer, “State of the Schools,” for the Council of Deans and Directors.

The Denver weather was great most of the time. It was 65 there when it was snowing here! Ended up the week in snow and ice but sure was nice to walk without a coat for part of the time.

I attended an ALA town hall meeting, hosted by ALA President Jim Rettig to gather concerns and issues from librarians to present to President Obama. Of course, I strongly encouraged reauthorization for the Institute of Museum and Library Services emphasizing the importance of LSTA and the support for research and education that the institute has provided.

All in all, a very good and productive week of meetings. Personally, my highlight was seeing my good friend Eva Poole for our traditional, yearly lunch. My heart smiles just thinking about it!

Here are five items to read, think about or take action for:

1. This morning’s edition of The State ran a great article about the increased activity and importance of libraries as a resource at times of economic need. http://www.thestate.com/local/story/668090.html

2. Libraries big draw for job seekers [Detroit Free Press]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090126/NEWS06/901260342/1008

3. OCLC Defends Records Policy, Faces Questions, Suggestions, and Criticisms [Library Journal]

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6632413.html

4. YouTube Hits The Mute Button as Royalty Fight With Warner Bros. Continues [Rolling Stone]

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/16/youtube-hits-the-mute-button-as-royalty-fight-with-warner-brothers-continues/

5. And from our friends at the Lubuto Library project:

A showing of paintings by children who have been studying with artist Mwamba Mulangala at the Lubuto Library arts center is scheduled for February. Some of the children are really talented. Others simply delight in having found a way to joyfully express themselves. We'll let you know how the show was received in our next newsletter. In the meantime, you can see some of their art by clicking on the "visual arts program" icon on the photo page on Lubuto's website: http://www.lubuto.org/.

Let me know if there is anything we can do for you. In the meantime, read a book to someone you love.

Yours,

Sam