AMERICAN LIBRARIES DIRECT January 18, 2006 A member communication from the American Library Association Welcome to AL Direct, an electronic newsletter sent to ALA personal members by e-mail as a perquisite of membership. AL Direct will be e-mailed every Wednesday and features news stories from American Libraries Online, ALA- and library-related news, and other items of interest from the ALA website. Click here to view the online version of our email: http://link.ixs1.net/s/ve?ei=8110274&si=h2&cfc=3html POLL: What do YOU think? ******************************* Should ALA increase its membership dues by $10 for each of the next three years? Click here to VOTE! http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB224XAWQPBVQ U.S. & WORLD NEWS ******************************* Appropriations act boosts IMLS funding by 2.7% http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/imlsfunding.htm On December 30, President Bush signed into law the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Act, which includes $247.1 million for Institute of Museum and Library Services programs and administration—a 2.7% increase over FY 2005.... Yale steam leak damages rare Cambodian newspapers http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/yaledamage.htm A steam leak at Yale University’s Sterling Memorial Library in New Haven, Connecticut, January 7 damaged more than 3,000 books and a valuable collection of Cambodian newspapers that document the nation’s genocide during the 1970s.... L.A. County approves $300,000 for internet filters http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/lacounty.htm By a 3–0 vote January 10, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved spending $344,000 to install filtering software and privacy screens on all county library computers.... Banned books go back to school in Maryland http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/carrollban.htm The superintendent of the Carroll County (Md.) Public Schools reinstated to high-school library shelves in mid-January two young-adult novels that he had banned several months earlier.... Irving, Texas, school librarians drop appeal on consent policy http://www.ala.org/al_onlineTemplate.cfm?Section=alonline&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=113701 A group of library media specialists at the Irving (Tex.) Independent School District have agreed to withdraw their appeal of a policy requiring middle-school students to get parental permission before checking out When Jeff Comes Home.... Ohio library bars unchaperoned after-schoolers http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/wickliffe.htm Ongoing patron-behavior woes during after-school hours have prompted officials of the Wickliffe (Ohio) Public Library to ban visits between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. from youngsters under 14 unless accompanied by an adult or enrolled in a library program.... ALA NEWS ******************************* ALA plans Patriot Act FOIA request http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/january2006ab/alafoia.htm The ALA Executive Board intends to file a Freedom of Information Act request with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine if the FBI has been collecting information on the Association and its leaders as a result of their opposition to certain provisions of the USA Patriot Act..... OIF introduces “Radical, Militant Librarian” button http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/radicalmilitantbutton.htm In recognition of the efforts of librarians to help raise awareness of the overreaching aspects of the USA Patriot Act, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is offering librarians an opportunity to proudly proclaim their “radical” and “militant” support for intellectual freedom, privacy, and civil liberties.... ALA will pilot live webcast of book awards at Midwinter http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/streamrelease06.htm For the first time ever, ALA will pilot a live webcast of its national announcement of the top books and video for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards—on January 23 at 7:55 a.m. CST.... Booklist announces 2005 Top of the List selections Booklist magazine has announced its 16th annual Top of the List winners. The eight winning titles were chosen from the annual Editors’ Choice selections as the best books and media of 2005.... New e-learning service for ALA members http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/booklist2005toplist.htm ALA has contracted with the Southeast Florida Library Information Network to make more than 1,500 e-learning courses from Element K, the largest provider of web-based courseware in the country, available to ALA members at affordable prices starting January 20.... Pat Mora launches Día 10th anniversary in San Antonio http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/dialaunch06.htm Pat Mora, noted children’s author of Doña Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Big Heart, will help launch the 10th anniversary celebration of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), an annual literacy event traditionally celebrated on April 30 that celebrates children, books, languages, and cultures.... Worldwide poster sessions http://www.ala.org/ala/iro/iroactivities/postersession.htm The ALA International Relations Round Table offers an opportunity to present world-class poster sessions at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, June 22–28, 2006..... DIVISION NEWS ******************************* PLA’s Smartest Card campaign moves forward http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/smartestcardgoesforward.htm PLA has hired the Metropolitan Group, a strategic communications and resource development firm, to build on the existing PLA Smartest Card @ your library campaign.... YALSA offers new blog http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/yalsabloglaunch.htm YALSA is launching a blog in time for the ALA Midwinter Meeting that will make it more immediate and accessible for people unable to get there in person... ACRL offers opportunities to host information literacy programs http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/professactivity/iil/immersion/hostimmersion.htm ACRL invites academic libraries to host a national Immersion Program or license a regional Immersion Program in 2007. The deadline for applying is April 3.... AWARDS ******************************* ACRL announces student paper awards for its Baltimore conference http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/acrlstudentpaperawards07.htm ACRL will make available two library student research paper awards, featuring a complimentary conference registration and a $500 stipend, for its 13th National Conference, “Sailing into the Future—Charting Our Destiny,” to be held in Baltimore, March 29–April 1, 2007.... Connecticut school library wins YALSA's Great Books Giveaway http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/formanschoolwins06gbg.htm The Barbara Chace Library at the Forman School in Litchfield, Conn., is the winner of the 10th annual Great Book Giveaway, and will receive literally a ton of young-adult and adult books, videos, CDs, and audiocassettes.... We the People Bookshelf grant deadline extended http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/january2006/bookshelfgrantappsextend.htm ALA and the National Endowment for the Humanities have announced that the January 17 deadline for the We the People Bookshelf grant on “Becoming American” has been extended to March 1.... SEEN ONLINE ******************************* Computers replace books at Castlemont High in Oakland http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_3407225 If students at Castlemont High School want to check out The Autobiography of Malcolm X or find books on Polynesian culture, they'd better have a bus pass or some good walking shoes.... Oakland (Calif.) Tribune, Jan. 16 Willamina council puts library cat on reserve http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060114/NEWS/601140318 The Willamina (Oreg.) City Council voted January 12 to allow the city’s library cat, nicknamed Agie, to remain at the library until she dies.... Salem (Oreg.) Statesman-Journal, Jan. 14 Clinton Library receives national AIA Honor Award for Architecture http://arkansasbusiness.com/news/headline_article.asp?aid=42913 The American Institute of Architects announced January 13 that the Clinton Presidential Library has received a 2006 Honor Award for Architecture, the highest recognition of works that exemplify architectural excellence.... Arkansas Business, Jan. 13 Swazi library suffers batty fate http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1863723,00.html An influx of bats in the Simunye branch of the Swaziland National Library has led to its closure until further notice.... News 24, Cape Town, Jan. 16 ACTIONS AND ANSWERS ******************************* ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans FAQ http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annual/2006a/nofaq.htm Why is the American Library Association (ALA) going to New Orleans for its 2006 Annual Conference? And other questions answered.... ALA Conference Services Library 2.0 explained http://cites.boisestate.edu/v6i2a.htm Walt Crawford digs into the pros and cons of a new library service model much debated in the blogs.... Cites & Insights, Midwinter 2006 USA Patriot Acts compared (PDF file) http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/59027.pdf The Congressional Research Service provides a side-by-side comparison of the existing law with the modifications agreed to in conference and passed by the Senate... LC Congressional Research Service Study group to host public roundtables in March on copyright exceptions http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2006/06-017.html A committee appointed by the Library of Congress will hold two public roundtables in March 2006—in Los Angeles and in Washington, D.C.—to gather insights and opinions on how to revise copyright exceptions for libraries and archives (Section 108 of the Copyright Act).... Library of Congress Paid search as an information seeking paradigm http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Dec-05/jansen.html Penn State Professor Bernard J. Jansen muses on the dynamics of sponsored searches in this introduction to a special theme issue of the ASIS&T Bulletin.... American Society for Information Science and Technology CONTACT US ******************************* George M. Eberhart,Editor: geberhart@ala.org Karen Sheets, Graphics and Design: ksheets@ala.org Send feedback: aldirect@ala.org AL Direct FAQ: www.ala.org/aldirect/ To advertise in American Libraries Direct: Contact Leonard Kniffel, lkniffel@ala.org American Libraries 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 www.ala.org/alonline/ 800-545-2433, ext. 4216 ISSN (applied for).