News Archive for November 2008    

The Centre County Library & Historical Museum is seeking a full-time Adult Services Librarian with a master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited program. The position is responsible for coordinating library services, collection development, and basic technology. Prior knowledge and/or willingness to learn Sirsi-Dynix automation system is highly preferred. Salary is based on expericence. Health benefits, vacation and sick time included in package.

Email documents to lerickson@cetrecountylibrary.org or send resumes and cover letters to:

Lisa Erickson
Library Director
Centre County Library and Historical Museum
200 N. Allegheny St.
Bellefonte, PA 16823

On December 1, Secretary of Education Gerald L. Zahorchak will be visiting the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to celebrate the very successful AskHerePA virtual reference service. An announcement/invitation to the event is attached
11-14-08-ask-here-pa2

Are you an executive director, development director, or board member of a nonprofit agency that is struggling with its development/fundraising program? If so, don’t miss this rare opportunity to spend a full day with Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE. Linda is one of only 81 professionals worldwide to hold the Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive designation and is coming to Harrisburg in December. Linda is an internationally respected author, presenter, and consultant for nonprofit organizations. Linda has managed capital campaigns ranging from $250,000 to over $30 million; helped dozens of nonprofit organizations achieve their development goals and has trained more than 10,000 professionals in all aspects of development.

The sessions discussions will be:
*the reasons a development plan can help assure success in fundraising efforts
*how to involve your organization’s leadership, both staff and volunteers, in the process
*how to assure that the plan will be implemented
*how to evaluate success

Participants will leave with preliminary development planning goals for their organization such as:
*develop a plan to involve board, staff and volunteers in the planning process
*develop a plan to involve board, staff and volunteers in implementing the plan
*outline the components of the development plan
*develop preliminary development planning goals

The session will be on December 9, 2008 from 9:00am – 4:00pm at:
Penn Grant Centre
777 East Park Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17111

Registration fee which includes lunch is $99 for members and $149 for nonmembers. Registration can be completed at index.php. If not a member yet, click on New Visitor Registration to sign up and take advantage of member rates. Choose “Upcoming events” on the left side of the screen to begin. If you would like to register multiple people from your organization, please email the names, titles and email addresses of those individuals to Grace Gilbert at grace@pano.org so they can be pre-registered. The email confirmation received will be the invoice.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), announces the fifth deadline for The Big Read. The purpose of The Big Read is to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture. Grants ranging from $5,000 – $20,000 are available to encourage local communities to inspire reading by developing and carrying out programming revolving around a single work of literature. Programming must be conducted between September 2009 and June 2010. This will be the only application deadline in 2009.

Big Read grants require the participation of a library as a lead applicant or a partner. Organizations selected to participate in The Big Read will receive:

*a grant
*financial support to attend a national orientation meeting
*educational and promotional materials for broad distribution
*an organizer’s guide for developing and managing Big Read activities
*guidance on working with local media
*inclusion of the organization and its activities on the Big Read Web site
*the prestige of participating in a highly visible national initiative

The deadline for proposals is February 3, 2009. Request for proposals can be downloaded at:
neabigread.org

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is offering a third and final round of competition to distribute 1,000 copies of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. The IMLS Bookshelf is a core set of texts that are essential for the care of collections. It is valued at approximately $800, focuses on collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries’ special collections.

The IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. The American Association for State and Local History(AASLH), the cooperating partner of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf is a non-profit organization that preserves and interprets state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.

Libraries are urged to apply for Free IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. Recipients will also receive two guides: The Bookshelf User’s Guide and the Guide to Online Resources. Priority for the IMLS Bookshelf will be given to smaller institutions, but large museums and libraries with special collections are also eligible to apply. Online applications can be submitted to the AASLH between January 5, 2009 and March 9, 2009 at: Bookshelf. For more information, email Terry Jackson at jackson@aaslh.org.

It’s budget time of year for all of the district libraries. Most of you are busy drafting your outlook for 2009, working on plans for the use of state aid, and hoping you can continue to provide the growing quality level of service that patrons are accustomed to. Remember that the district is happy to review your draft budget if you’d like an outside pair of eyes to review your plans.

When making this year’s budget, in this tight economy, look at how you are forecasting your income and expenses.
How would you handle a 20% budget cut like Philadelphia may be facing now?
Where and when would citizens of your community feel the impact of lost dollars?
How evident would the cuts be to your public?
Is there anything you can do to demonstrate the value of your library and the return on dollars invested in order to protect current funding streams?
Are there efficiencies you can implement now to show that library dollars are the best investment?

Read about how Philly is handling dramatic budget cuts: Budget Cuts in Philly and NY

Here’s an interesting read, Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author of Blink and the Tipping Point, had a quote about libraries. Read the full article at NY Magazine

But here’s the library part: Gladwell is a young person’s idea of an old person’s idea of a young person. Beneath the crazy hair, the slobby-chic clothes, and the buzzword-filled vocabulary is an old-fashioned guy who grew up among Mennonites in rural Ontario, didn’t have a TV until he was 23, and still prefers to do most of his research at the NYU library. Google is something of a personal hobbyhorse: “Google is the answer to the problem we didn’t have. It doesn’t tell you what’s interesting or what’s important. There’s still more in the library than there is on Google.”

What does that tell you about how libraries are perceived by young and old? Our libraries will continue to keep the brilliant minds coming in the doors as long as we continue to provide them with access to worlds beyond their own.

Feel free to post comments.

The Wyomissing Public Library seeks an enthusiastic, innovative, and energetic library professional to serve as full-time Children’s Librarian.

This position requires extensive knowledge of young adult and children’s literature, prior programming experience, and the ability to act as liaison to schools, parents, and teachers. Ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience working with children, previous library service, and hold an MLS. Salary: $30,00-$32,000 with medical benefits.

Send resumes to:

Colleen Stamm, Library Director
Wyomissing Public Library
9 Reading Blvd.
Wyomissing, PA 19610

The West Pittston Library is accepting applications for a full time Library Director. The library serves a population of 5,072 and is a member of the Luzerne County Library System. It’s collection numbers over 25,000 and annual circulation is about 30,000.

All responses must be received by Saturday, November 15, 2008.
Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and a resume to:

West Pittston Library
Personnel Committee
200 Exeter Ave.
West Pittston, PA 18643

Click on the link below to register to attend the Quarterly District Library meeting from 9-12:30 at NCU’s Foundation Hall:
Link to registration form

Topics to be presented include:
Updates on WebFeat and OverDrive
District statistics

The registration form has a place to enter additional agenda items you would like to discuss.

The quarterly District Library Meeting is at NCU’s Foundation Hall on November 19, 2008 from 9:00-12:30.

Topics to be presented include:
*Updates on WebFeat and OverDrive
*District statistics

Click on the link below for registration to attend the meeting. The registration form has a place to enter additional agenda items you would like to discuss.

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