http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=DFDE12D7-2706-453F-8823-11F052F62084&gsa=true

How sad to hear then, when people need them most, that libraries are facing a 6% funding cut.  We have created a poll on the CLRC website - stop by and let us know what a 6% cut means to your library.  We will use the information we gather in our conversations with our local legislators.

http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/

ADVOCACY ALERT!
ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS TO REJECT GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED CUTS TO LIBRARY AID

We all know that in difficult economic times, people use libraries more. We see it daily in each of our libraries. Increased circulation, more people participating in library programs. More people needing help writing resumes or applying for jobs online. 

Yet the Governor imposed a 2% cut in library funding in the recently adopted 2008-09 State Budget and now wants the Legislature to approve a further 6% reduction. He is asking for a CUT in the very programs that can HELP people weather the hard times.

I urge each of you to contact your state legislators and let them know how WRONG this is.  Go to the NYLA website (www.nyla.org) and click on “Become a Library Advocate” to send a message to your legislators asking them to OPPOSE any further cuts in Library Aid. Strong library services are part of the SOLUTION.

Thank you.

Kathy Miller

NYLA Legislative Committee Chairperson, 2007/2008

Digital Copyright Slider

Want to know if something is in the public domain or under copyright? Use the ALA OIT’s new digital copyright slider to find out. They’ve had an actual slide-rule like physical one in publication for a few years, and many people have asked for a digital version. I’m pleased to see it.

SLJ’s 23 Things for School Librarians

Are you looking for a Learning 2.0 / 23 things project aimed at school libraries and teacher librarians? (If you’re a special librarians you’re obviously already on the SLA 23 Things program!)

Brian Kenney, editor of School Library Journal, announced SLJ’s effort here:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/850000285/post/1860029586.html

SLJ’s 2.0 Program Begins July 21

“Have you heard of 23 Things, the self-guided program for learning about 2.0 web technology? It was developed by Helene Blowers a couple of years ago at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and since then has been adopted across the country by public and school libraries, districts, and even entire states. It consists of a number of “things,” or small exercises, that you do online to expand your knowledge of the 2.0 web and social networking, from blogs and podcasts to wikis and Twitter.

For a while now (and prodded by SLJ Technology Editor, Kathy Ishizuka) I’ve realized it would be a great idea if all of us here at SLJ went through a “23 Things” like experience. After all, we are always writing about different 2.0 applications, shouldn’t we experience them as well? Walk the walk, talk the talk, and all of that…So I resolved that we’d do it this summer.

Then I got to thinking: if we’re going to do it, why not open it up and invite everyone to join us?

So that’s what we are going to do. But we’re not going it alone; we’ve asked 2.0 guru, Dominican faculty member, and season trainer Michael Stephens to join us for the ride. Beginning Monday, July 21, Michael will author a blog here on SLJ.com that will lead us through the different exercises, offer guidance, answer questions, and even provide a little hand-holding. We’re calling it “All Together Now: A 2.0 Learning Experience.”

There’s no need to sign up–just show up. Again, we’ll begin on July 21 and wrap things up in early September.

My “Gearing Up” post is here:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/290000629.html#530030053

Our work will begin the 21st of July! Starting Monday, I’ll put up a post here — the first of our “things” - with instructions to explore. The first thing is getting a blog and trying out blogging.

I’ve worked with a lot of libraries doing these programs and folks sometimes confess they are scared to dive in. These tools seem too new or hard to use. This program is designed to alleviate those worries. Work at your own pace. Work with a colleague or friend. I kid you not, this is a perfect time and a perfect place to experience these things. These rules will help:

Explore. Try things out. Don’t worry about “breaking” anything! Ask questions. There are no dumb questions. AND It’s okay to make mistakes.

The blog address for the program is:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/290000629.html

Anyway, now to the proper purpose of the blog:  to share information.   OCLC has published another of its membership reports:  From Awareness to Funding:  A Study of Library Support in America.  You may find the report here:http://www.oclc.org/reports/funding

I attended a presentation about the report at ALA in Anaheim; what interested me was that the perception of the librarian was one of the most important keys to library support.  In other words, passion is paramount!  A passionate librarian generates energy and interest, and builds community.  Although primarily geared towards public libraries, there is something in this report for all librarians.  The report will available via the CLRC website.

And, speaking of passion, this post from Stephen Abram’s blog, “Stephen’s Lighthouse,” caught my eye this morning:

Two Letters

In Information Outlook

My Information Outlook columns in March and April were open letters. Here they are:

March 2008

An Open Letter to My Boomer Peers

April 2008

An Open Letter to My New Peers

Stephen

I admit to being an avid reader of all types of blogs but I have never tried to write one. I’m not sure I even know how!  So, for me, this blog is going to be a learning experience.  It will be a place where I can draw your attention to interesting blog posts, create some of my own, tell you about CLRC events and activities, encourage the CLRC staff to contribute, ask questions that hopefully you can help me answer, and, most importantly, learn about this important communication tool.  I need to learn about categories, tags, using videos, everything!

I hope you will join me in the conversation!