AMERICAN LIBRARIES DIRECT July 12, 2006 AL Direct is a weekly electronic newsletter sent by the American Library Association every Wednesday to personal members by e-mail as a perquisite of membership. Click here to view the online version of our email: <%= util.viewHtmlLink %> POLL: What do YOU think? ******************************* What do YOU think? Should public libraries offer people living in temporary shelters the same borrowing privileges as those who have a more permanent address? http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225GMZPA9C5 This is an unscientific poll that reflects the opinions of only those AL Direct readers who have chosen to participate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Results of the July 5 poll: Should state officials mandate that a certified librarian staff every public school library, as the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has done in Milwaukee? YES................92% NO..................7% I DON’T KNOW...1% (359 responses) For cumulated results and selected responses to all AL Direct polls, visit the AL Online website. U.S. & WORLD NEWS ******************************* Homeless residents sue Worcester library over borrowing restrictions http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/july2006a/worcester.htm The Legal Assistance Corporation and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a class action lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, charging that the Worcester Public Library is unfairly restricting the borrowing privileges of residents who live in homeless shelters.... Nampa library keeps Joy of books, loses donor http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/july2006a/nampa.htm Business owner Larry Knapp has announced that he will withhold a $10,000 donation he had considered making toward a new library facility to protest the Nampa (Idaho) Public Library board’s decision to retain The Joy of Sex and The Joy of Gay Sex in the collection. “Why would you want to create a larger problem?” Knapp said.... Northeastern flooding takes a toll on archives, libraries http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/july2006a/floods.htm River cities in the northeastern part of the United States took a multimillion-dollar hit in late June and early July from heavy rains that caused flooding damage to libraries in at least six states and the District of Columbia.... Buffalo dissolves Informatics School, returns LIS to education http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/july2006a/buffalo.htm The State University of New York’s University at Buffalo announced June 16 that it was dissolving its School of Informatics, with its two components—the Department of Library and Information Studies and the Department of Communication—moving back to their former homes in the Graduate School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences, respectively.... Fired director sues American Library in Paris board http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/july2006a/paris.htm Following a contentious annual membership meeting attended by some 130 members of the American Library in Paris June 20, Library Director Shirley Lambert revealed that she is filing suit against the board of directors for unemployment compensation under French law.... ALA NEWS ******************************* 2007 National Library Week Grant http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/july2006/nlwgrant.htm Libraries across the United States are invited to apply for the $5,000 Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Grant, which will be awarded to a single library for the best public awareness campaign incorporating the 2007 National Library Week theme, “Come together @ your library.” This year’s application deadline is October 16. National Library Week is April 15–21, 2007.... Ung, Valdes-Rodriguez, Berry to keynote JCLC opening general session http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/july2006/JCLCauthorstospeak.htm On October 12, authors Loung Ung, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, and Bertice Berry will kick off the first-ever Joint Conference of Librarians of Color. The October 11–16 conference will bring hundreds of library staffers from all types of libraries and backgrounds, diversity advocates, and educators to Dallas to network and exchange ideas on how to better serve increasingly diverse communities.... RFID in libraries: Privacy and confidentiality guidelines http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/otherpolicies/rfidguidelines.htm The Intellectual Freedom Committee adopted these guidelines on the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in libraries at ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans June 27.... Booklist Online ******************************* Featured review: Books for youth http://www.booklistonline.com/default.aspx?page=show_product&pid=1695912 Cushman, Karen. The Loud Silence of Francine Green. Aug. 2006. 228p. Clarion, hardcover (0-618-50455-9). Grades 6–9. Set in Los Angeles in 1949, Cushman’s latest historical novel captures the terrors and confusions of the McCarthy era. Eighth-grader Francine admires her outspoken, precocious friend Sophie, who was kicked out of public school for painting “There is no free speech here” on the gymnasium floor.... NEW ORLEANS UPDATE ******************************* Officials tout ALA success as tourism turning point http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/viewStory.cfm?recID=16073 ALA Annual Conference was a major milestone for the New Orleans convention industry. The Convention Center staff spent much of its time allaying fears of nervous attendees each time bad news from New Orleans hit the national cable news networks—whether it was mold infestations, leaky levees, or the return of the National Guard for crime control.... New Orleans City Business, July 10 ALA and NOLA http://burgerforala.blogs.com/burger_for_ala/2006/07/ala_and_nola.html Going to New Orleans was an act of bravery on our part and a demonstration of our values as a profession. We came to attend to business, further our education, and network with colleagues. But more importantly, we came to help rebuild the city, to build it better.... Leslie Burger’s Blog, July 6 New Orleans PL rebuilding campaign http://nutrias.org/%7Enopl/foundation/donationsfaq.htm NOPL has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people across the country who have donated an estimated 1 million books of all kinds, conditions, and subjects. (Can anyone use hundreds of Russian grammar books?) They are grateful for the assistance and will put all the books to the most appropriate uses possible. However, due to extreme storage and staff limitations, they are now asking people to help out in other ways.... New Orleans Public Library DIVISION NEWS ******************************* Anderson Cooper gets standing ovation at PLA President’s Program http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/july2006/CooperatPresidentsProgr.htm Author and television news anchor Anderson Cooper received a standing ovation following his June 25 keynote address to the PLA President’s Program at ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans.... ACRL membership survey, part one http://acrlblog.org/2006/07/10/remember-that-acrl-membership-survey-part-one/ Steven Bell summarizes the demographic findings of the division’s May survey. The goal of the survey was to evaluate member satisfaction and determine what the members most value about their involvement in ACRL.... ACRLog, July 10 ACRL joint institute on scholarly information http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/july2006/ACRLjointinstitute.htm ACRL, along with the Association of Research Libraries, will offer a second Institute on Scholarly Communication, December 6–8, at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The inaugural institute at UCLA in July had far more applicants than could be accommodated. The deadline for applications is August 15.... @ your library song http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/KidsSong.htm Singer/storyteller Bill Harley wrote a special song, called “@ your library,” for ALSC’s Kids! @ your library public-awareness campaign. A full-length version highlighting Harley and a chorus of children (mp3 file) can be downloaded from the ALSC site, as well as two other versions and PDF files of the lyrics and sheet music.... AWARDS ******************************* AASL honors Laura Bush with a Crystal Apple http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/july2006/LauraBushCrystalapple.htm AASL President J. Linda Williams presented the division’s Crystal Apple award to the First Lady at the “School Libraries Work: Rebuilding for Learning” National Town Hall Meeting during Annual Conference in New Orleans.... SEEN ONLINE ******************************* Google to open facility in Ann Arbor http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-35/1152652761283690.xml&storylist=newsmichigan Search-engine company Google plans to open an office in the Ann Arbor area that will employ 1,000 people within five years to handle advertising that appears on its internet search engine, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and company officials said July 11. Google’s involvement with the Ann Arbor area is not new. In December 2004, the popular search engine announced a partnership with the University of Michigan to scan books from the school’s library.... Associated Press, July 11 Tax dollars to fund study on restricting FOIA requests http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-07-05-foia-research_x.htm The federal government will pay a Texas law school $1 million to do research aimed at rolling back the amount of sensitive data available to the press and public through freedom-of-information requests. Beginning this month, St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio will analyze recent state laws that place previously available information, such as site plans of power plants, beyond the reach of public inquiries.... USA Today, July 5 MySpace may face legislative crackdown http://news.com.com/MySpace%2Bmay%2Bface%2Blegislative%2Bcrackdown/2100-1028_3-6092989.html Politicians July 11 accused MySpace.com and other social-networking sites of failing to protect minors from sexual predators and other malign influences and said a legislative crackdown may be necessary. During a hearing before a House of Representatives subcommittee, lawmakers argued over the merits of compelling schools and libraries to cordon off access to such sites.... CNet News, July 11 Does freedom to read apply to DVDs? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070800872.html The culture wars have returned to the Loudoun County (Va.) Public Library system—or, more precisely, to the tidy rows of DVDs at its seven branches. The library system’s 440 R-rated movies are especially popular. They are also provoking a public battle between the county’s Board of Supervisors and the library board of trustees.... Washington Post, July 9 FLA files amicus in lawsuit against Miami-Dade school board (Word file) http://www.flalib.org/publications/PressReleaseAmicusBrief.doc The Florida Library Association filed an amicus curiae memorandum in U.S. District Court in support of the lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Florida and the Miami-Dade Student Government Association against the Miami-Dade County School Board for its removal of the book Vamos a Cuba and the book series “A Visit to...” from Miami-Dade School Board libraries and classrooms.... Florida Library Association, July 8 Screens to hide porn at Pima County http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/metro/137537 The Tucson-Pima (Ariz.) Public Library will install privacy screens around its computers so passers-by won’t be exposed to pornography. The county board of supervisors adopted that policy July 11 in response to concerns about viewing of online pornography at library branches.... Tucson Arizona Daily Star, July 12 Discord deepens between Providence library board, city http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060711_plib11.17e529b.html The Providence (R.I.) Public Library’s board of trustees voted unilaterally July 10 to create a corporation to oversee taxpayer money spent at the library. The new entity would be run by public appointees designated by the city. The problem is, as several board members pointed out, the city hasn’t agreed to the plan.... Providence Journal, July 11 Sharing keeps rare books public http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0607060052jul06,1,6260350.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed Like a medieval alchemist, a good librarian can make magic by bringing together the right book and the right reader. The Newberry Library in Chicago and Midwestern colleges split the cost of expensive antique volumes that might otherwise have gone to collectors.... Chicago Tribune, July 6 Small businesses profit from library resources http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13721626/ A small business owner in Iowa or Missouri who needs help putting together a business plan can find it in states such as New York and Pennsylvania—at libraries that are dedicated to serving entrepreneurs with their traditional catalogs of books and with extensive online resources.... Associated Press, July 5 ACTIONS AND ANSWERS ******************************* Simmons GSLIS faculty in Middle East to train Iraqi librarians http://gslis.simmons.edu/blogs/dispatches/ Iraqi librarians are being trained to preserve their nation’s damaged library collections under an NEH grant awarded to the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science and Harvard University Library. Dean Michèle V. Cloonan and other Simmons representatives are in the United Arab Emirates for a second round of training. The UAE University at Al Ain is hosting the participants, who are blogging daily about the experience.... Simmons GSLIS: Dispatches from the Field Scholastic helps rebuild Gulf Coast school libraries http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13482851/ In an effort to help school libraries in the Gulf Coast region, NBC Weekend Today is joining forces with Scholastic, the children’s publishing and media company, to launch “Today Turns the Page: A Book Drive for the Gulf Coast.”... NBC Weekend Today, July 7 The basics of tagging http://techessence.info/tagging/ Tagging refers to the process by which users assign terms meaningful to them to a resource in the online environment. The rise of social bookmarking websites have skyrocketed tagging systems into the mainstream. Jenn Riley explains what it is, what can be done with it, and who should be using it.... TechEssence, July 8 Videos promoting teen services http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=vieajj13 The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, has produced several videos that promote its library programs and services to teens. “Fairy Tales Gone Bad” and others are available for viewing on You Tube.... Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Can history be Open Source? Wikipedia and the future of the past http://chnm.gmu.edu/resources/essays/d/42 A historical work without owners and with multiple, anonymous authors is almost unimaginable in our professional culture. Yet, quite remarkably, that describes the online encyclopedia known as Wikipedia, which contains 3 million articles (1 million of them in English). Roy Rosenzweig describes the pluses and minuses of its use as a historical encyclopedia.... Journal of American History 93, no.1 (June) UK libraries in metamorphosis http://www.lovelibraries.co.uk/libraries.php Three British public libraries were in desperate need of redecoration, upgrading, and transformation. The Love Libraries campaign website shows how the Coldharbour (right), Newquay, and Richmond libraries blossomed into 21st-century facilities within 12 weeks.... Love Libraries New Aussie biblioblog http://librariesinteract.info/ Libraries Interact is a new collaborative blog for Australian libraryland. You do not have to be Australian, a librarian, or a blogger to contribute. It welcomes library-related reflections, job postings, notifications of events, pointers to interesting sites, discussion of the biblioblogosphere, and blathering.... Libraries Interact July 13 is Summer Learning Day http://www.jhu.edu/ovs/TB/Teach/summerlearningday/index.html Summer Learning Day is a time for communities to celebrate the importance of high-quality summer learning opportunities in the lives of young people and their families. Host an event in your community on July 13 that showcases your program.... Center for Summer Learning Botanical, horticultural, and plant libraries http://www.cbhl.net/librar/librar.htm Peruse this useful list of the websites and the online catalogs of CBHL member libraries.... Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries Barbara Bush Foundation literacy grants http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/nga.html The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has announced its 2007 national grant competition. The Foundation’s grant-making program seeks to develop or expand projects that are designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary-care givers and their children. A total of approximately $650,000 will be awarded; no grant request should exceed $65,000.... Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, June 26 ATLA celebrates 60 years http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060706/22751.htm The American Theological Library Association celebrated its 60th anniversary with a record-breaking annual conference hosting over 400 people. Held June 21–24 in Chicago, the ATLA conference was praised by the association’s executive director as the largest and most impressive gathering ever.... Christian Post, July 6 Choice Reviews Online, version 2.0 http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/choice/choicereviews/cro2info.htm ChoiceReviews.online has been totally redesigned and will be relaunched as CRO2 (Choice Reviews Online Version 2.0) later this summer. CRO2 will have a new user-friendly interface and expanded functionality. CRO2 subscribers will have access to 115,000 Choice reviews, as well as all editorial content from recent issues of Choice.... 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