New Hampshire Library Association - NHLA

The NHSL Modular Library Courses for the Spring of 2009 are now available for registration at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/training/modules/

Available are:

• “Juvenile Non-Fiction Collection Development & Management” in Haverhill
• “The Reference Interview” in Lancaster
• “The Reference Answer” in Lancaster (and a special bargain combo registration for both reference courses together)
• “Librarian Orientation” to NHSL

Have you or your colleagues ever taken these courses? Were they useful? Do you recommend them, and for whom? Leave a comment!!

Posted by Steve B. at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the CHILIS Spring Conference, CHILIS members voted to join the Collaborative Summer Library Program, a national summer reading program that includes 48 states.  CHILIS will begin its membership beginning with the 2010 summer reading program.  Membership in CSLP will offer participating NH libraries manuals for both children's and teen's summer reading programs as well as the opportunity to buy low-cost bookmarks, posters, certificates and other incentives. 

Before the vote, discussion centered on the advantages and disadvantage of joining a national collaborative.  Members praised the work and dedication of the NH Summer Reading Committee, which has developed a statewide program since 1990.  The NH Summer Reading Program has showcased the work of NH illustrators such as Chris Demarest, True Kelley, Tomi dePaola, Marty Kelley, Tracy Carrier, and Karel Hayes--to name a few. 

The NH Summer Reading Committee will still meet to choose the Kids, Books and the Arts Roster, to plan the SRP kick-off at the conference and to develop NH-related summer reading activities to complement  the national theme.  In addition, the committee's reduced responsibilities will allow members to work on other important CHILIS projects both old and new. 

In the meantime, the 2009 NH Summer Reading Program--"Summertime...and the Reading is Easy" is well underway.  Children's librarians around the state are looking forward to celebrating the joys of summer and of reading with their communities by developing fun programs and activities.  For more information on this year's SRP, check the CHILIS website.

Posted by Ann H. at 08:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

F. Mabel Winchell Loan Fund

$1,000 interest-free loan to be repaid within 5 years

Rosalie Norris Scholarship

$1,000 grant

Download the Application Form at http://www.nhlibrarians.org/gradstudy.html

Please send inquiries to:

Sarah Leonardi

NHLA Scholarship Chair

Amherst Town Library

14 Main Street

Amherst, NH 03031

(603) 673-2288

sleonardi@amherst.lib.nh.us

Posted by Sarah L. at 07:06 PM | Permalink

Good news! The Spring Conference Registration form is now available on the 2009 Spring Conference website. Please follow the instructions on the website or on the registration form itself for submitting the completed form and payment.

We hope to see you there!

Posted by Melinda R. at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The American Library Association (ALA) is beginning work on the development of its 2015 strategic plan. The first step in the process is to conduct an evaluation of current programs and services, and members are invited to share their feedback. An online member survey is available through March 22, 2009. So, if you are an ALA member, why not fill out the survey before the deadline passes.

To take and/or learn more about the survey, go here (http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/missionhistory/plan/2015/index.cfm). A FAQ about the survey is available here (http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/missionhistory/plan/2015/2015membersurveyfaq.pdf).

Posted by Steve B. at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't usually post news about a single library, but this is such a happy ending to what looked like a terrible disappointment that I have to write about it. Yesterday, in a 176-112 vote, the citizens of Rollinsford, NH voted in opposition to eliminating the town's public library.

Why is this particularly special? Because the Rollinsford Public Library was built a year ago through donations following a campaign that gained nationwide attention. The books, computers and Internet access were all funded through donations. This year however the library was in danger of being shut down. While it had raised $18,000 for this year's budget, it needed another $28,000 in order to operate. Thanks to yesterday's vote, library director Tamara Niedzolkowski lives to see another day!

Read more in these articles:

• Library Rescued in Rollinsford 
• Town Considers Closing Donated Library Over Budget Request

Posted by Steve B. at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a time when many libraries must find ways to trim their budget, what strategies are you using to continue providing the same quality of service to your patrons as before? Do you look to your Friends group? Ask for grants? Fundraise within the community? Have you found locals willing to provide programming? Are there businesses providing you discounts? Or are there smaller things we can do that will make a difference? Please join as at one of the scheduled round tables to discuss this topic.

• Howe Library-Hanover-Monday March 23, 10:00-12:00
• Hooksett Library-Wednesday-March 25, 10:00-12:00
• Pease Library, Plymouth-Friday March 27, 10:00-12:00

$5 for READS members; $10 for non-members.

Registration deadline is March 16.

Brochure and registration form (PDF)

Posted by Linda T. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In case you don’t subscribe to the Nhais list, here’s an important update from the State Librarian regarding downloadable audiobooks for iPods…

“We are happy to announce that the NH Downloadable Audiobooks Consortium is now able to purchase MP3 audiobooks! MP3 audiobooks contain no DRM (Digital Rights Management) and are compatible with any music player, including iPods and Mac computers.

Up until this point, our current collection of digital audiobooks contains approximately 2400 unique titles in WMA (Windows Media Audio) format. These titles cannot be played on iPods or Mac computers. Only soon-to-be-purchased MP3 titles will be compatible with iPods and Macs.

Mac users will need to download a Mac-compatible version of the OverDrive Media Console prior to using the service and will only be able to checkout MP3 audiobook titles.

At this point of time, not all publishers provide their content in MP3 format. The Consortium will still purchase much of its content in WMA format, but if there is a choice between the two formats for any given title, the MP3 format will be purchased.

The group of audiobook selectors are preparing a purchase order of MP3 titles. After the order is submitted, OverDrive will need to make changes to the site to incorporate the new format. Expect the new MP3 titles to arrive by April 1.

This spring Consortium libraries will need to submit their patron numbers to OverDrive for the purpose of building a new patron authentication system.”

Posted by Steve B. at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From an ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services press release on March 2, 2009...

"Libraries are changing and dynamic places, and no better evidence of that exists than the spread of gaming in the nation's public, school and academic libraries.

In recognition of this trend and the increasing value of gaming to literacy improvement, the American Library Association, with assistance from a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation, has developed an online toolkit to aid librarians in serving this growing constituency.

The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming:  An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming @ your library (www.librarygamingtoolkit.org) offers content contributed by expert gaming librarians across the country.  The toolkit includes a wide range of resources to help librarians create, fund and evaluate gaming experiences in the library. 

You can read the remainder of the press release here, and for additional information contact: Dale Lipschultz, Literacy Officer, Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, by phone, (312) 280-3275, or e-mail, dlipschultz@ala.org.

You can also click on http://www.librarygamingtoolkit.org for more information.

Posted by Steve B. at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For Immediate Release from ALA,
February 24, 2009

At the American Library Association (ALA) 2009 Midwinter Meeting in Denver, the ALA Council passed a resolution defining the core competences of librarianship.

The core competences document represents the work of a special Presidential Task Force on Library Education and builds on the efforts of several previous groups.

The document defines the basic knowledge to be possessed by all persons graduating from an ALA-accredited master’s program in library and information studies. Librarians working in school, academic, public, special and governmental libraries will need to acquire special knowledge beyond that specified in the resolution.

It states that everyone graduating from an ALA-accredited master’s program in library and information studies should know and, where appropriate, be able to employ:

• Foundations of the Profession.
• Information resources.
• Organization of recorded knowledge and information.
• Technological knowledge and skills.
• Reference and user services.
• Research.
• Continuing education and lifelong learning.
• Administration and management.

The core competency requirements stress the role of library and information professionals in promoting democratic principles and intellectual freedom, knowing and applying the legal framework guiding libraries and information agencies – including laws relating to copyright, privacy, freedom of expression, equal rights and intellectual property – and attaining competency in identifying and analyzing emerging technologies and innovations.

To learn more about the core competences of librarianship, please visit:

Core Competences Web site

ALA's Core Competences of Librarianship (.pdf)

Posted by Steve B. at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)