Trustees Advocates Friends Foundations

76 Pages·2009·23.33 MB·English

TECH TRENDS Exhibits Roundup ■ YOUTH New Books ■ ALA ELECTIONS Candidates
MARCH 2009
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
JJooiinniinngg
Forces
TTTrrruuusssttteeeeeesss
Advocates
Friends
Foundations
PLUS
 Salinas Reborn
 Redefi ning Community
 Midwinter Meeting Wrap-up
0309_Cover1.indd 1 2/17/2009 11:16:24 AM
This is success.
And it’s success because just a few
moments ago, Nicole didn’t know
how to find the perfect book for
her report on blue whales in
Australia. She didn’t even know
how to spell “Australia” correctly.
Now she has the perfect book, web
results, saved searches, reader
comments, and she is on her way to
a great report.
Success for her. Success for you.
That’s SirsiDynix Enterprise.
www.sirsidynix.com 1.800.288.8020 [email protected]
0309_ad_SirsiDynix.indd 1 2/11/2009 10:11:21 AM
This is success.
And it’s success because just a few
moments ago, Nicole didn’t know
how to find the perfect book for her
report on blue whales in Australia.
She didn’t even know how to spell
“Australia” correctly.
Now she has the perfect book, web
results, saved searches, reader com-
ments, and she is on her way to a
great report.
Success for her. Success for you.
That’s SirsiDynix Enterprise.
C O N T E N T S
AmericAn LibrAries | march 2009
Features
38
38 InsIde, outsIde, and onlIne
The question for today’s information professionals
is not Where is the library? but What is a library?
BY chrYstie hill
42 we’re back!
The director explains how, after a near-death
experience, salinas Public Library is open,
thriving, and setting trends
BY elizaBeth martinez
45 economIc outlook prompts
tough talk In denver
For a nobel Prize winner and committee chairs
alike, midwinter meeting conversations were
about money and where it’s going to come from
53 ala councIl and
executIve board wrap-ups 42
Association finances and prospects for new
revenue are council priorities, while the
executive board studies Library education Task
Force recommendations
56 offIcIal candIdates’
statements
2010–11 ALA presidential contenders Kenton L.
Oliver and roberta stevens
58 candIdates forum
Highlights of the midwinter meeting debate 47
34 cover story
amalgatIng for advocacy
Two venerable groups combine their expertise to advance the
cause of libraries
BY sallY Gardner reed
cover design by Jennifer palmer.
0309_TOC.indd 1 2/17/2009 3:28:59 PM
C O N T E N T S
AmericAn LibrAries | mArch 2009 | VoLume 40 #3 | issn 0002-9769
Departments
InformatIon technology
25 tech news
27 DIspatches from the fIelD
Tech budgets Totter
by larra clark and denise davis
28 Internet lIbrarIan
make Way for the net Generation
by Joseph Janes
29 In practIce
A show of cautious cheer by John blyberg
22 people
60 currents
professIonal Development
News
62 youth matters
What Denver Delivered by Jennifer burek pierce
12 ala 64 lIbrarIan’s lIbrary
16 u.s. anD InternatIonal Give ‘em Pop by Mary ellen Quinn
65 rousIng reaDs
Special News Report
The sound of updike by bill ott
66 solutIons anD servIces
24 assocIatIon for lIbrary anD InformatIon
scIence eDucatIon conference opInIon anD commentary
4 from the eDItor
Planning for spontaneity by leonard kniffel
6 presIDent’s message
making connections by JiM rettig
8 executIve DIrector’s message
in Tough economic Times by keith Michael fiels
10 reaDer forum
Letters and comments
32 publIc perceptIon
33 on my mInD
The copyright mummies by Melanie schlosser
72 wIll’s worlD
reviewing our options by Will Manley
Jobs
68 career leaDs from JoblIst
Your #1 source for Job openings
16 32
0309_TOC.indd 2 2/17/2009 2:54:48 PM
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Untitled-5 1 02/03/2009 2:01:52 PM
FROM THE EDITOR | Masthead
Planning for Spontaneity
by Leonard Kniffel
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
I
t takes a lot of planning to be spontaneous. Anyone who’s ever
50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 •
produced a successful program, service, or publication knows how www.ala.org/alonline/ •
e-mail [email protected]
much work goes into making a thing appear to arise from no- toll free 800-545-2433 x4216 • local 312-280-4216
• fax [phone]
where, fresh and unplanned, at just the right moment.
online career classified ads: JobLIST.ala.org
There was a lot of talk at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting in Denver (report
editor in chief Leonard Kniffel
begins on p. 45) about economizing and about retaining current revenue senior editors Gordon Flagg
Beverly Goldberg
streams and developing new ones. Those discussions weigh on my mind as George M. Eberhart
we consider the future of publishing in general and American Libraries in associate editors Pamela A. Goodes
Greg Landgraf
particular. Planning and budgeting for FY 2010 is going to be a huge chal- Sean Fitzpatrick
lenge for just about everybody. design and production
production director Benjamin Segedin
One of the suggestions I’ve received in recent weeks—related to both
production editors Jennifer Palmer
economizing and greening—is that since the thousands of copies of AL Taína Lagodzinski
Carlos Orellana
mailed to members every year “just get wasted,” as one ALA member put it,
publishing department
people should be able to opt out of paper altogether. But associate executive director Donald Chatham
It will take even at the same time, other readers have complained that marketing and sales director Mary Mackay
publishing technology director Troy Linker
the print issues of AL are getting smaller. joblist classified advertising/ad traffic Jon Kartman
more planning rights and permissions Mary Jo Bolduc,
While opting out of print is a choice that’s coming to 800-545-2433 x5416
and organizing for
you soon via your communications preferences in your columnists
America’s libraries membership record, it is still print that generates the Meredith Farkas, Joseph Janes, Will Manley, Bill Ott,
Mary Pergander, Jennifer Burek Pierce, Mary Ellen
revenue that enables us to produce the weekly e-news- Quinn
to come through in
letter AL Direct, regular AL Focus videos, the Inside advisory committee
the months ahead. Scoop blog, and to begin a series of digital supple- chair Laurel Minott, Joseph R. Diaz, Jill Grogg, Nancy
Kalikow Maxwell, Melanie R. Metzger, Andrew K. Pace,
ments, the first of which appeared in January. All of Amber A. Prentiss; interns Bart Birdsall, Cynthia Bischoff
Editorial policy: ALA Policy Manual, section 10.2
these new ventures may seem to have sprung out of nowhere, but they are
advertising representatives
part of the struggle to make budgeting and planning responsive to the gen-
advertising sales manager Brian Searles
uine wants and needs of ALA members. While the print issues have gotten U.S. (except Eastern) and International Dave Adrian,
818-888-5288,
somewhat smaller, the roles of the website, blog, video, and e-newsletter [email protected]
Eastern U.S. (except Pennsylvania) Doug Lewis,
have grown as we consider just exactly what it is that is best delivered in 770-333-1281,
print. Clearly, it is not breaking news. [email protected]
Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorse-
In addition to developing new ways to deliver information to members, ment. ALA reserves the right to refuse advertising.
AL is also using a Carnegie Corporation of New York grant to develop a new indexed
1996–2008 index at www.ala.org/alonline/. Available
interactive “@ your library” public website, due to launch this spring, to
full text from ProQuest, EBSCO Publishing, H. W.
complement the “I Love Libraries” advocacy site. In this issue (p. 34), Sally Wilson, LexisNexis, and Information Access. Full-text
searchable database of 2003–2008 issues available
Reed examines the growing role of Friends, trustees, and foundations in online free.
light of the creation of a new ALA division that embraces all these areas of subscribe
public advocacy. Chrystie Hill (p. 38) asks us to take a fresh look at the li- Libraries and other institutions: $70/year, 10 issues, U.S.,
Canada, and Mexico; foreign: $80.Subscription price for
9 brary’s role in civic engagement, while Elizabeth Martinez (p. 42) inspires individuals included in ALA membership dues. 800-545-
0 2433 x5108, e-mail [email protected], or visit www
20 with her story of the great comeback from the brink of extinction of the .ala.org. Claim missing issues: ALA Member and Cus-
march pubItl itco olikb raa lroyt ionf Spalalinnnaisn, gC taoli bforrinngia a. new ALA division into being, and a lot t48o00m%0-e 5dr4 iSs5ec-o2rv4uic3ne3t . f xoA4rl 2lfio8vw6e . soixr mweoerek;s .c Soinntgalcet iCsshuaeriss s$e7 .P5e0r,k winisth,
| of organizing to save Salinas from disaster. It took even better planning published
es and organizing to make it all look simple and natural. It’s going to take even Atimmeesr icyaena rLlyib bray rtiehse (AISmSNer i0c0a0n2 L-i9b7ra6r9y) Aiss psoucbilaisthioend ( A10L A).
brari more for America's libraries to continue to deliver in the uncertain months PIllriinnoteisd, ainn dU .aSd.Ad.it Pioenraiol dmicaaillisn pgo osftfiacgees .p PaOidS aTtM CAhSicTaEgRo:,
an li ahead. Just as the public expects its libraries to come through, the mem- PLiebrrsaornieasl, mc/eom Mbeerms:b Seersnhdip a dRdecreosrsd sc,h AanLgAe, s5 0to E A. mHuerroicna n
meric bneeresd o. fU tnhiitse Ad swseo cciaanti aonnd e wxpee wcti lAl,L iAn twoh caotmevee rth forormugaht wisi mtho tshte u tsoeoflusl .w ez all Scita.,t iConh.ic Magaote, rIiLa l6s 0in6 1t1h.is © jo2u0r0n9a lA mmaeyr ibcaen r eLpibroradruy cAesds ofo-r
a noncommercial educational purposes.
4
0309_Editorial-Contributors.indd 4 2/17/2009 2:57:36 PM
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Untitled-8 1 12/04/2008 1:24:43 PM
ALA | President’s Message
Making Connections
School librarians play key role in student learning
by Jim Rettig
T
he experiences I had have been. Ann Martin, president of middle and high school student is is-
one day in early January ALA’s American Association of sued a laptop.)
confirmed two things I School Librarians and educational At Colonial Trail Elementary
thought I already knew. specialist in library information ser- School, a story reading incorporated
The first was how much richer vices for the Henrico (Va.) County a fun letter recognition exercise. A
my K–12 education could have Public Schools, ar-
I have never doubted the
been; the second, how much in ranged a day for me
common we have regardless of to spend time ob- fundamental, foundational
the type of library we work in. serving and talking
role of school libraries and
I realized that although I have with the librarians in
librarians and their contribution
been talking about the importance of three schools. In ev-
school libraries since my term began ery case, I witnessed to student achievement.
last July, I had not spent a day of my committed, creative
life in a school library. My grade librarians collaborating with faculty kindergartner’s question, “Where
school had a room with books in it to engage students in active learning are the fake books about dinosaurs?”
and volunteer mothers who checked experiences. prompted the librarian’s insightful
them out when we went as a class. I I remember writing a paper on reader’s advisory service for make-
don’t think my visits were consistent mythology in high school. I might re- believe books (a.k.a. fiction). I have
year after year, but I do recall writing member something about its content never doubted the fundamental,
many book reports in 5th or 6th if, like the students at Deep Run High foundational role of school libraries
grade. My high school had a library School in Glen Allen, Virginia, I had and librarians and their contribu-
and a librarian. My freshman Eng- been assigned a Greek deity and a list tion to student achievement. Now I
lish class went there for orientation. of his or her infamous acts—murder, have experienced that, albeit de-
It was memorable because, thanks to kidnapping, adultery, and more. Stu- cades late.
the antics of another guy at my table, dents had to research their deity, cite Every day these dedicated, imagi-
the librarian gave all of us detention. sources, identify their crimes in Vir- native librarians do what I have ob-
My only detention wasn’t worthless; ginia law, develop a defense or a served and experienced as a patron in
I had to memorize a Wilfred Owen prosecution strategy, and prepare an public libraries and have done as an
poem. oral argument for a student jury. At academic librarian. They help their
The next year an issue of the Hungary Creek Middle School, stu- patrons discover the best resources
school paper was ready the first week dents moved through five stations to for a particular task, teach them how
of school. Its editor, Thomas Mann, answer questions about such topics as to evaluate sources, help them under-
now a well-known reference librar- ancient Rome’s politics, civil engi- stand the ethics and mechanics of at-
9 ian at the Library of Congress, wrote neering, and military. Librarians and tribution when using others’ work,
0
0 an exposé of the school library’s in- a teacher incorporated print and make appropriate technologies avail-
2
ch adequacies, especially of its collec- electronic resources into the project. able, and give them tools that help
ar
m tion. The school administration Both assignments engaged the stu- them learn on their own and with
| destroyed all copies before the paper dents and stimulated peer interac- others. They create connections! We
es was distributed. His suppressed ar- tion. Librarians and teachers kept all create connections! z
brari ticle convinced me that I was better busy responding to student ques-
n li off using my public library. tions, asking them if they needed ALA President JIM RETTIG is university
erica I learned firsthand how much help, and of course, troubleshooting lUibnriavreirasnit ya to Bf oRaicthwmrigohntd M ine Vmirogriinali aL.i bVrisairty j,r ettig
m more my schools’ libraries could students’ computers. (Every Henrico .org
a
6
0309_Pres_Message.indd 6 2/17/2009 2:58:10 PM
To make it happen, he needs you.
As an information specialist, you do much more than do it. Because, we put the right content from over
connect individuals to publications. You help them 79,000 publishers at your disposal. We support you
find the inspiration they need to make academic with more than 130 trained librarians. And we provide
breakthroughs. Invent the next big thing. Maybe even information management systems that free up
solve a global problem. And, as the world’s leading your time so you can focus on your users. After all,
information services provider, EBSCO can help you who knows what the next genius will ask for?
ebsco.com
Quality Content(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:0)Resource Management(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:0)Access(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:0)Integration(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:115)(cid:0)(cid:0)Consultation
Untitled-2 1 02/03/2009 1:57:03 PM
ALA | Executive Director’s Message
In Tough Economic Times
Making the case for libraries
by Keith Michael Fiels
I
t’s time to beat our plow- ken advocates and encourage the n   A new national radio public
shares into swords. public to advocate on behalf of awareness campaign, “En tu bibliote-
It’s no secret. The tough libraries as well. ca,” targeted to our growing Latino
economy is already having an n   If we do make the case for our population.
impact on library budgets. libraries, we are much more likely to n   Nonstop media outreach to get
For those of us who have been receive needed funding or avoid bud- the library story in national and local
through multiple recessions, the sto- get cuts. newspapers and magazines, on radio
ries of budget cuts and branch clos- n   There are skills and resources and television, and via internet news
ings are all too familiar. We know that that can help anyone become a more sources.
libraries pro- persuasive and n  Up-to-date and in-depth
vide essential All across the country, effective library breaking news on library budgets
services, but advocate. and library success stories through
public libraries are
we are also We also have American Libraries, AL Direct, and AL
reporting increases in
aware that a secret weap- Focus.
libraries usage of 10%, 20%, or on: the energy n Examples of and statistics on
don’t neces- and enthusiasm the increases in library usage.
as high as 30%.
sarily receive of 67,000 ALA n   A growing body of research and
the recognition they deserve. All too members and the millions of people stories documenting the impact and
often, the library is the first to be cut that use and love libraries. So how are value of libraries.
or is disproportionately cut, regarded the Association and its members n   Case studies and how-to tips
as a “nonessential” service. working to make the case? from libraries that are successfully
What is also familiar is the in- Here are some of the ways: making their case.
creased usage that libraries are expe- n   A new Office for Library Advo- n   New advocacy training oppor-
riencing as users come for help in cacy (OLA) devoted to helping library tunities from OLA as well as ALA’s
finding new jobs or skills, accessing supporters make the case locally. Public Library Association, Associa-
information on government assistance n  Increased advocacy efforts and tion of College and Research
programs, or simply because libraries tools available from the Washington Libraries, American Association of
are the best deal in town when it Office. School Librarians, and others.
comes to stretching a shrinking dollar. n   A growing network of state n   A wide range of practical
All across the country, public libraries chapters linked by shared legislative how-to programs at Midwinter
are reporting increases in usage of action software. Meetings and Annual Conferences.
10%, 20%, or even 30%. n   Two new online toolkits— n   A growing network of peer-to-
9 However, some things are different ”Advocating in a Tough Economy” and peer mentoring and help for library
0
0 this time. This time, the increase in “Add it up: Libraries Make the Differ- advocates.
2
ch library usage is being widely reported ence in Youth Development and Edu- n   ALA President Jim Rettig’s
ar
m in newspapers and magazines and on cation.” “Building Statewide Coalitions” ini-
| radio and television. This time we n   More library trustees, Friends, tiative.
es also know a lot more about how to and the public involved in library ad- Times may be tough—and getting
brari fight impending budget cuts. vocacy, thanks to ALA’s new Associa- tougher—but we do have a whole new
n li We know that: tion of Library Trustees, Advocates, set of tools to help us do the job. So,
erica n We can no longer afford to be Friends, and Foundations and the “I let’s all roll our sleeves up. We’ve got
m passive victims; we have to be outspo- love libraries” website. some libraries to save. z
a
8
0309_Exec_Dir_Message.indd 8 2/17/2009 3:29:36 PM