Welcome to Elena Rosenfeld

We are so lucky to have Elena Rosenfeld from High Plains Library district as our new Chapter Councilor. Look for continued information on this blog re ALA and Colorado libraries.

Bundled Registration to ALA ends September 30

Well, I've reached my 150th blog. That seems like a milestone as I get prepared to hand over the responsibilities to Colorado's new chapter councilor, Elena Rosenfeld from High Plains. Although the elections haven't taken place, there is no opposition, so I can say this with a high degree of certainty! At any rate, just wanted to let you folks know that September 30th is the last day for bundled registration for both Midwinter 2010 and Annual 2010. You can go to:

http://tinyurl.com/mqgdao

Midwinter Bundled Registration Opens Sept. 1

Once again ALA is offering a special bundled price on the Midwinter Meeting and the Annual Conference if you register for both events during September. You can save 20% over the advance registration price you would pay if you bought each event separately. Included in your registration are the ALA President’s Program, the Author Forum, exhibits, discussion groups, committee meetings, the Opening Reception, the Technology Showcase, the Arthur Curley Memorial Lecture, and the Sunrise Speaker Series. See the registration page for more information.
http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/midwinter/2010/index.cfm

Camila Alire Takes the Helm

It's been a really busy month for me - can't believe my last post was in early June. ALA Annual in Chicago was the biggest ever - with over 28,000 attendees. The Presidential gavel was passed on to our own Camila Alire, Monte Vista native. A wonderful article in the Pueblo Chieftain about Alire can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/m8snk4

I am just finishing up my report to the Association on the Council activities. One of my fellow councilors, James Casey always writes a detailed report and rather than duplicating efforts, I have taken his report (blanket permission granted on the ALA listserv) and edited it to focus on information relevant for Coloradoans. That will be posted on the CAL listserv along with ALA's Executive Director's report, which is most informative.

I will continue with this blog as relevant ALA information comes forward but there will be a fall election to vote on the new Chapter Councilor, which I will not be running for. It's been a wonderful experience but I have made commitments in other committees in ALA and need to focus on those for the next few years. If you have any interest in running for Chapter Councilor please contact me and let's talk about it! swalchak@gmail.com

Basketball Star Candace Parker, Chair Library Card Sign up Month

Olympic gold medalist and 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year Candace Parker will let Americans know that a library card is the “smartest card” in every wallet.
As Honorary Chair of Library Card Sign up Month in September, Parker will be featured in print and radio public service announcements (PSAs). The American Library Association (ALA) will place the PSAs in magazines and on radio stations across the country.
PSAs are available for free download to libraries looking to promote Library Card Sign-up Month locally. In addition to the PSAs, librarians can download sample media materials and Web badges. All resources can be downloaded at www.ala.org/librarycardsignup.

ALSC Kids! Campaign

Phase two of the ALSC Kids! @ your library public awareness campaign, which officially launches July 12, focuses on tools to help librarians promote library services to kids in Grades 5–8. All campaign resources are free and available for download at http://www.ala.org/kids

ALSC is the world's largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,300 children's and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for all children by creating better opportunities. To learn more about ALSC, visit its Web site at www.ala.org/alsc.

Program Proposal for ALA Annual 2010 - PLA

Deadline Approaching: Submit a Program Proposal for ALA Annual Conference 2010 by June 1
PLA is accepting program proposals for the 2010 ALA Annual Conference. The program proposal form is currently available as a downloadable word document from the PLA website. www.pla.org Communities of Practice are encouraged to work with their groups on PLAspace to put together program proposals. Proposals are due June 1.

ALA Election Results - 2009

The results for the ALA election are in. President-Elect is Roberta Stevens.

Colorado folks elected to positions in ALA include:

Sharon Morris, President Elect of CLENE Roundtable
Sandra Smith, Board Member, CLENE Roundtable
Diana Reese, ASCLA, Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect
Valerie Horton, ASCLA_ICANS, Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect
Jennie Bowers, ACRL_AFAS, Member-at Large
Paul Moeller, ALCTS_SS, Vice Chair, Chair-Elect

Thanks for your support of Colorado candidates.

ACRL Invites Proposals for 2010 Programs

ACRL invites proposal submissions for half- or full-day professional development programs to be held prior to the 2010 ALA Midwinter Meeting or the 2010 ALA Annual Conference. ACRL workshops at Midwinter will be held in Boston January 15. Preconferences at the Annual Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., June 25. Submissions will be accepted through May 4.
http://tinyurl.com/d2h6ne

ALA Connect Debuts

ALA is now providing its members a common virtual space to engage in ALA business and network with other members around issues and interests relevant to the profession. In the first phase of ALA Connect, every ALA group will have the ability to utilize posts, online docs, a group calendar, surveys, polls, chat rooms, and discussion forums. Members can log in using their regular ALA website username and password. Their records are automatically synchronized with the ALA membership database, so affiliations with committees, divisions, events, round tables, and sections are displayed. Project Manager Jenny Levine offers an overview of the site and writes: “I feel a little like Doctor Frankenstein—it’s aliiiiiive—but so far the patient is doing quite well.”...
http://connect.ala.org/

Promote School Library Media Month!

As spokesperson for School Library Media Month (SLMM), best-selling author James Patterson is the voice behind public service announcements (PSAs) promoting the work of school library media specialists in schools across the country. The PSAs can be downloaded at http://www.ala.org/aasl/slmm.
The PSAs are available in lengths of 10, 15 and 20 seconds and are available for download in mp3 format. Listeners are invited by Patterson to "Discover how worlds connect" at their school libraries by celebrating SLMM. "Worlds connect @ your library" is the theme of this year's SLMM, and also of National Library Week, which was celebrated from April 12 to 18. School library media specialists are encouraged to use the PSAs on their schools' broadcasting and local radio stations. AASL is pleased to have James Patterson as spokesperson for SLMM. He will also make a special appearance at AASL's 14th National Conference & Exhibition in Charlotte, N.C.
School library media specialists will find the PSAs, links to valuable sites and other resources on the AASL Web site to help observe SLMM. "AASL wanted to give its members a complete set of tools to convey the importance of school library media programs. James Patterson's PSAs are the perfect addition to promoting School Library Media Month," said SLMM Task Force Chair Melissa Johnston.
School Library Media Month, www.ala.org/aasl/slmm, is the annual celebration of school library media specialists and their programs. First observed in 1985, the month long celebration takes place every April.
The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library media field.

YALSA Announces Teens' Top Ten Nominations

Nominations for the annual Teens’ Top Ten are now available at www.ala.org/teenstopten announced the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). YALSA encourages teens to read the 25 nominees before the national Teens’ Top Ten vote, which will take place during Teen Read WeekÔ, October 18-24 — 25 weeks from now.
The Teens' Top Ten is a teen choice list, in which teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. Nominators are members of the YA Galley Group — teen book groups in 15 school and public libraries around the country. Teen book groups for YA Galley are chosen every two years; applications will be accepted in spring 2010.
Nominations are posted on Support Teen Literature Day during National Library Week. The 10 nominations that receive the most votes during Teen Read Week will be named the official Teens' Top Ten. Nominated titles were published between January 2008 and March 15, 2009.
“The Teens’ Top Ten is the only YALSA list that is created entirely by teen input,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Every vote for these titles counts and teens can make a difference in seeing their favorite book become a Top Ten book. Libraries can plan book groups around the nominations or incorporate them into their summer reading programs!”

Judith Krug, Founder of Banned Books Week Dies

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) -- Judith Krug, a director of the Chicago-based American Library Association and founder of its Banned Books Week, has died. She was 69.
Judith Platt, president of the ALA's Freedom to Read Foundation, says Krug (KROOG) died late Saturday at Evanston Hospital in suburban Chicago following a battle with stomach cancer.
Platt says Krug had been ill for more than a year.
Krug had been head of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom since 1967.
Banned Books Weeks has been observed since 1982 during the last week of September. ALA officials say the event celebrates intellectual freedom.
Krug is survived by her husband Herbert, son Steven, daughter Michelle, five grandchildren, two brothers and a sister.

More News (Better) about CPSIA Regulation

ALA supports legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebr.) March 24 to amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act to exempt ordinary books from the lead limit within the act. In August 2008, Congress passed the law to protect children from the real dangers of toys made with lead-based paint; however, the Consumer Product Safety Commission misinterpreted it to apply to ordinary books for children 12 years of age or younger. This is a welcome step toward ensuring libraries will not be adversely affected by the law.

ALA Elections - Support Colorado Candidates!

If you are an ALA member you should have received an email ballot last week allowing you to vote in the 2009 ALA Elections. There are several folks from Colorado that I encourage you to support. The more representation we have from Colorado, the better chance we have to influence policy on a national basis. In addition, this is just a great group of people who deserve your support. Thanks for your consideration!

Best regards,
Shelley Walchak, ALA Chapter Councilor/ Colorado
swalchak@gmail.com

Reese Evenson, Officers/Council, Councilor-at-large
Jody Howard, Officers/Council, Councilor-at-large
Jenny Bowers, ACRL_AFAS, Member-at-large
Gregory Heald, ACRL_LES, Member-at-large
Charlene Kellsey, ACRL_WESS, Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect
Diana Reese, ASCLA, Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect
Valerie Horton, ASCLA_ICANS, Vice-Chair, Chair-Elect
Sharon Morris, CLENE, Vice President, President-Elect
Jennie Gerke, GODORT, State and Local Documents Task Force Assistant Coordinator/ Coordinator-Elect
Sylvia Hall-Ellis, LRRT, Member-at Large
Pam Sandlian Smith, ALSC, 2011 Caldecott Committee
Paul Donald Moeller, ALCTS_SS, Vice Chair, Chair-Elect
Sandra Smith, CLENE, Board

This is the list that has been sent to me by ALA. If you are running for election and are not listed above, please contact me and I will be glad to send out another email.

Please find further information about the ALA elections below. The long url at the end is a pdf. Make sure you copy and paste the entire url into your browser when trying to use that link.
The full ballot calendar is published on the ALA Web site at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/alaelection/index.cfm
Broadcast emails announcing that the election polls are open will be sent beginning at 9:00 a.m. on March 17, 2009, with the last emails to be sent at 9:00 a.m. on March 19, 2009, to ensure compliance with ALA Bylaws, Article III, Section 4b. Completed ballots must be received by April 24 at 11: 59 p.m. CST. The election results will be published May 1. http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/governance/alaelection/2009/questions_about_the_2009_ala_election.pdf

Early Bird Registration ends on Friday for ALA Annual

The Early Bird Registration deadline for ALA Annual in Chicago is this Friday, March 6th. After Friday, rates go up to the 'Advanced' prices.

http://tinyurl.com/98vtjw
Also, the Group Rate for 4 or more non-ALA members at Member Libraries is going well. If you want to get the best price (an extra 15% off the non-member rate), please register before Friday as well.

Gaming and Literacy Grants

The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Literacy and Outreach Services is seeking applications from public, school and academic libraries interested in developing and implementing innovative literacy gaming services for youth ages 10-18.

This program is part of ALA's Libraries, Literacy and Gaming initiative funded by Verizon.

Ten $5,000.00 grants will be awarded to libraries clearly demonstrating creativity, capacity, sustainability and a strong commitment to literacy-related gaming services. In addition, the winning libraries will receive ongoing support and technical assistance from a team of nationally recognized library gaming experts. Winners will be announced during National Library Week, April 12-18. The grant application is available online at http://librarygamingtoolkit.org/rfp . All applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm, Friday, March 20.

ALA Election Coming Soon!

This year the ALA election will be held online. This means it is important for voters to check with their library information technology personnel or Internet Service Providers to make sure that spam filters will not prefent ALA from emailing the ballot forms. Those who are without computers or are homebound may contact ALA customer service to receive a paper ballot.

Information needed to "White List" the election material email:
From: ALA Election Coordinator
Email Address: 2009election@alavote.org
Subject: ALA 2009 Election

If you need to update your email address, please go to: www.ala.org/membership.

Polls will open 8:00 a.m. MST on March 17, 2009.

Help Shape ALA's Strategic Plan

Members can help strengthen and improve the programs and services that ALA provides by participating in a survey from February 23 through March 15. Log in using your seven-digit ALA member number found on your membership card and on the American Libraries mailing label. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It will help ALA conduct a five-year evaluation of its programs and services as it creates a strategic plan for the future.

ALA Midwinter Denver Highlights

ALA Midwinter meeting primarily focuses on ALA’s division and Roundtable business as opposed to training opportunities. As the host chapter, CAL was able to participate in a very active way holding a preconference, which over 70 people attended, sponsoring a booth, and holding a reception for upcoming ALA President Camila Alire at the Blair Caldwell Branch of the Denver Public Library. Although much of the Council business was routine, there was a great deal of discussion as newer librarians advocated for electronic participation and free Internet access.

Some specific areas of concern: (Thanks to Jonathan Betz-Zatz from the State of Washington.)

Intellectual Freedom:
The Freedom to Read Foundation reported some notable victories: The Child Online Protection Act was overturned after 10 years of effort; a National Security Letters case on gag orders without judicial review put burden of proof on government before enforcing them; and a Harmful to Minors literature sellers registration requirement in Indiana was struck down as too vague. Another harmful to minors case--Powell's books in Oregon—is still underway. FTRF says that the state law makes no provision for judging value of content, as federal law does. FTRF has joined the Valerie Plame Wilson case challenging redaction, saying that the government must demonstrate harm of information that is already in the public domain.
FTRF is monitoring two other important cases: the Miami_Dade School Board case on removing a book from classrooms and the North Central Regional Library District case on mandatory, non removable filtering. The last is an ACLU case; the Freedom to Read Foundation and ALA are not participating.
Intellectual Freedom Committee has published a festschrift for Gordon Conable and added a casebook on privacy and copyright issues to its annual series. They are planning to publish a new edition of the IF manual in 2010. They are also publicizing a national conversation on privacy called "Privacy Revolution" with door hangers and a website: www.privacyrevolution.org
Banned Books Week 2009 will be held Sept 27-October 4. Information: www.ala.org/bbooks.
Council adopted three revisions to the Intellectual Freedom Manual on “Challenged Material”, “Restricted Access to Library Materials” and “Services to Persons with Disabilities”.

National Legislation:
The Committee on Legislation encourages librarian participation in the legislative process through links on ALA’s website and through attending Library Legislative Day May 11-12. ALA’s Legislative Assembly is a good place for ALA units to be represented (for example, the Government Documents Round Table). Most importantly for CAL, they encourage chapters to involve themselves more deeply in legislation.
Council agreed to increase the committee membership to handle its expanded workload, encouraged ALA members to distribute listserv messages to other listservs, commended President Obama for his prompt action on Open Government, and supported reauthorization of the Library Services and Technology Act.
Meanwhile the Washington Office coordinated a massive effort to convince the Consumer Product Safety Commission to exempt libraries from having to examine all of their children’s materials for lead and other toxic substances. By the end of conference it was clear that both of the commissioners had heard from large numbers of concerned people and that favorable action could be expected soon. The WO also reported that the new stimulus programs will likely produce little sudden change at the local level. It’s very important for libraries to stay on the “radar screens” of their legislators—tell them what we are doing to serve their communities and create a better economy. Stimulus funding will probably go through the States in an effort to shore up major programs such as Medicare and rebuilding the crumbling infrastructure.

ALA also held a special members meeting to allow librarians to make statements that they wanted President Obama to hear and consider. The following notes by Councilor Jim Casey describe it well: “This extraordinary Membership Meeting, opened to all ALA Members and with a free access microphone, was hosted by ALA President Jim Rettig and the COL Chair Kendall Wiggin. The objective was to gather as many cogent ideas as possible to present before the new Obama Administration for improvement of service to patrons and to advance the cause of lifetime learning. Ken reminded us that most of the stimulus money will probably go to the states and to existing programs. He urged that we drive a connection in our own local media efforts between jobs and the work of libraries. ----- Dozens of members came forward to speak out; there were many excellent contributions to bring forward based upon what, for many, was a lifetime of labor in the field of serving our public. The link to my full report is available on the CAL Web site http://www.cal-webs.org