Library cards—a great promotional tool

Contact: Megan McFarlane
Campaign Coordinator
Campaign for America’s Libraries
ALA Public Information Office
312-280-2148
mmcfarlane@ala.org

For Immediate release
May 19, 2009
Library cards—a great promotional tool

(CHICAGO) Librarians can use the value of a library card to promote their libraries.

During Library Card Sign-up Month, the American Library Association and libraries across the country highlight the library card as the “smartest card” in every American’s wallet.

Library cards offer users a wide variety of free resources: access to computers and the Internet; financial literacy skills; assistance with job searches; resources to help small businesses; DVD rentals; storytime sessions; and, of course, books.

But library cards have value for librarians as well, whether they are promoting public awareness about their library’s green efforts or programming for children.

The Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, N.C., used the Association for Library Service to Children’s “Kids! @ your library” slogan “So much to see. So much to do. @ your library” to engage its community and encourage children in grades K-5 to register for a library card. The library has since reported that 20,000 students have signed-up for library cards.

The Clermont County Public Library of Clermont County, Ohio recently redesigned its library cards and now offers library users the choice of seven library cards, including one that supporting the library’s green initiative, which reads “Go green @ your library.”

“It fit in perfectly with the ‘green’ overhaul we’ve been working on,” said Amy Prewitt, the library’s media relations manager. “Besides, the library is the ultimate recycling center — we use and reuse the same materials over and over again.”

Prior to the card’s redesign, the library used the “Smartest Card” to promote its services.

Berkeley County Public Library of Berkeley County, S.C. uses its card to remind visitors that there is “Something for everyone @ your library.” The library card is also available as a key fob.

Library Card Sign-up Month, which is held in September, was launched in 1987.Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.

The Campaign for America’s Libraries is the ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions.

The “Smartest Card” was created by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of ALA.

EZ Library Programs for All Ages

From the Mid-Hudson Library System EZ Library Programs Website:

"The EZ Library Program Directory was created by the Mid-Hudson Library System to help librarians find easy, inexpensive program ideas covering a wide range of topics, activities, costs and ages--from infants to adults.

To look for a program idea, choose Search for a Program and search by one or more of the categories or search by keyword. If you wish to share programs that have been successful in your library, please use the Submit a Program section."

MARLS Coop Extended Through June 2010

Dear MARLS Purchasing Cooperative Libraries:

Some good news! The MARLS Statewide Purchasing Cooperative will remain in effect through June of 2010.

The vendors of library materials and supplies have agreed to continue extending their excellent discounts and services to participating libraries for another year. These discounts help stretch library budgets in these difficult times. Technical services staff at libraries do not need to change their ordering procedures for at least another year.

During FY10, the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, with assistance from the other Regions, will begin working on a brand new, even more comprehensive, statewide bid to go into effect in July of 2010.

For details on the MARLS program, please visit the Western Region's MARLS website at http://www.wmrls.org/coop/index.html. FYI, we notify participating libraries about any Coop news, clarifications and changed contact information through the statewide "allregions" email distribution list, and also note them in the "Updates" section of the MARLS website.

We hope you continue to enjoy the Cooperative for FY10. It is one of the many benefits of your library's membership in one of the 6 Regional Library Systems.


Thanks, John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

Facebook Social Networking Software ~ An MLA Report

facebook logo

Originally uploaded by AJC1

On Friday, May 8, I attended MLA hoping to learn more about the many uses of Web 2.0 tools and applications; specifically the Facebook social networking site … and the MLA Annual Conference delivered!

Below is a brief summary that highlights my Facebook education by attending 21 Examples of 21st Century Libraries, the Do-It-Yourself Series: Session II, and Social Software and Intellectual Freedom.

The Good:
Facebook is where it’s at! Libraries should have a goal of becoming its users’ Third Place ~ (First Place being Home and Second Place being Work and/or School). Both the library building and its virtual space should be warm, welcoming, and located in a highly accessible place. According to Andy Kazeniac in Social Networks: Facebook Takes Over Top Spot, Twitter Climbs published on February 9, 2009, Facebook had 1,191,373,339 visits in January, 2009 – becoming the Number 1 Social Networking site. A Library Facebook page is most definitely in a highly accessible online "place".

Great for Library PR! A Library Facebook page is a great way to promote library services and programs.

Facebook is easy. While you do have to open a Facebook Account (which I consider The Bad ~ see below). A library Facebook Page is fun and easy to create.

The Bad:

Privacy: Libraries embrace the users right to privacy. When patrons sign up for a library card, they can be confident that their information will not be shared. Can Facebook (and other social network sites) make the same promise? To view a library’s Facebook page, the user is required to register for a Facebook Account. Should the library, by hosting a Facebook page, be endorsing one social networking site over another?

Recommend:

Develop a Library Social Networking Policy ~ Examples (though a little dated) can be found on the website, What I Learned Today … Social Software Policies.

Sincerely, Janet Eckert, WMRLS

MLA: Building a Great Library

Two morning programs on library construction were filled with the wisdom of the experienced and advice from professionals. "MBLC Grant Process and the Building Program" featured Patience Jackson and Rosemary Waltos of the MA Board of Library Commissioners overviewing our state's "very well run library construction grant program", a compliment given by Richard Marks, President of project management firm Daedalus Projects. In MA, libraries must meet well laid-out milestones to receive grant money and that makes our library construction grant program predictable and achievable locally---thank you MBLC! Patience and Rosemary spoke of the Planning and Design Grants that help the smallest communities move toward new libraries, and the new "green incentive program" to help communities build energy efficient buildings. Building Consultant Marjorie Judd described how she gathers data in order to write building programs for communities, and Aaron Cohen spoke of the visual scan that guides his work producing a library facility plan. He recommended that you put the largest pots of money into aspects of the new library that your community will see and use in order to earn their support. Two owner project management firms, Daedalus Projects and Scanska USA, cautioned that hiring a project manager should come at the beginning of your project so that their expertise can help you define a budget that will work throughout your building program.

"Library Construction: Notes from the Field" featured two library directors who have built new facilities and two architects who design community libraries. Carol Mahoney, Director of the Greenwich (CT) Public Library, won my heart when she emphasized planning a delivery area that is sized and located for the safety and convenience of those staff members who prepare and receive deliveries, and in consideration of the delivery drivers who move all the bins of materials into and out of our libraries every day. The slide show that Leslie Morrissey of the Falmouth Public Library shared emphasized how an historic building can be beautifully renovated and added to, more than once! Charlie Van Voorhis is an architect specializing in renovating historic buildings. He admitted that it can take more energy and creativity keeping the old parts in a renovation project but such renovations can be competitive financially with building brand-new, and are very helpful in maintaining a community's spirit. Stewart Roberts of the firm Johnson Stewart Roberts Associates listed the pros and cons of new construction versus renovation of historic spaces. He proved his love for older libraries by giving us his company web address
http://www.johnson-roberts.com where you will find "Library Postcards Online". It's organized by state so look for your library there!

MLA Conference Reports on its Blog

MLA is going Web 2.0 this year with Twitter Tweets, Flickr Photos, and its annual MLA Conference Reports Blog ~ http://mlamasslib.blogspot.com/

Flickr Photos & the Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference

Enjoy Flickr photos of the Massachusetts Library Association's Annual Conference which runs through this Friday.

The Big Board by jmgold [9 results matching masslib09, licensed under the Creative Commons]

Twitter #masslib09

Many librarians who attended today's Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference at the MassMutual Center in Springfield are Tweeting about their day's experiences! ~Read All About It

Friends of Western Massachusetts Regional Library SystemRecognized by Big Y

The Friends of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System
(WMRLS) is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of
$5,000 from the Big Y Paul H. D’ Amour Memorial Charity Golf Outing
Committee. The Friends group was chosen for its efforts in raising
funds for services and programs for the regional library system (WMRLS).


Established in 2003, the Friends of WMRLS formed in response to a
devastating cut in Regional Library funding. Each year, the Friends of
WMRLS identifies one or more areas of Regional service to support
through membership dues and fundraising events, supplementing state
funding in good times and maintaining basic programs in times of
economic stress. This year the grant will be used to support the
delivery of books and audiovisual materials to library users in over 300
communities in western Massachusetts. The sharing of resources between
libraries is at an all time high in these challenging economic times.

Friends President Antonia Golinski-Foisy stated, “We are overjoyed by
this generous gift. Big Y has an established commitment to the
communities that it services and is dedicated to improving the quality
of life in southern New England. The Friends of WMRLS is honored that
Big Y would recognize our shared values by awarding us this generous
gift and assisting us in our own commitment to our communities.”

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY CLUB

WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY CLUB - WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

The next meeting of the Western Mass. Library Club will be Wed., May 13, 9:30am at Chicopee Public Library, 449 Front St. The speaker that morning will be Katherine Dibble, Vice-President, MA Board of Library Commissioners, who will speak about how the Board manages the State Aid Program and also about the current situation with funding.

The Western Mass. Library Club has been in existence for over 100 years to support professional and paraprofessional librarians, currently working and retired, in professional development and socialization. Meetings may be attended by any current or retired library staff or trustees. Over the years, we have had some wonderful speakers including Suzanne Strempek Shea, Jay Ducharme, Daniel Goleman and Robert Meeropol. You are always welcome.

If you plan on attending, please contact President Mary Senecal at msenecal@cwmars.org or member Frank Taplin at 413-534-0867, as after Commissioner Dibble's presentation, we will adjourn for an a la carte lunch at Munich Haus in downtown Chicopee. If you like German food, this is the place to be!

Sincerely, Brian Tabor, Circulation Supervisor, Forbes Library, Northampton

Agawam Public Library Presents ...

AGAWAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Monday, May 18, 2009

SHAKESPEARE…the Lunatic, the Lover and the Poet ...Presented by Richard Clark

One Monday, May 18th at 7:00, Richard Clark of “Keeping History Alive” will return to the Agawam Public Library to give a performance entitled “Shakespeare…the Lunatic, the Lover and the Poet”.

Come and celebrate Shakespeare by seeing twelve different characters, hear twenty-five monologues and soliloquies from his most famous plays. Share some of the most memorable moments in dramatic history.

Through “Keeping History Alive”, historical characters are brought to life in performances created from the lives and work of Mark Twain, Clarence Darrow, John Barrymore and Andrew Carnegie.

Richard Clark has been acting for over 30 years and has appeared in numerous New England regional theaters. He has worked professionally in New York Theater and in television. His film credits include “Guiding Light”, “As the World Turns” and “Saturday Night Live”.

For more information on Richard Clark, please visit his website at http://www.darrowactor.wordpress.com .

This program is sponsored by the Agawam Center Library Association. Please call 789-1550, or visit the Agawam Library to register.

Braille books at Forbes

The Forbes Library Children's Department is pleased to announce that we have recently purchased 250 titles in Braille for children ages birth through age 16. Many titles are already available, and the entire collection should be cataloged soon. These are specialty books that have been ordered direct from a publisher who strictly caters to visually impaired children.

The Forbes Library Children's Department is dedicated to increasing the opportunity for literacy by providing Braille books for all of our local patrons as well as children who live across the state. We have contacted the Perkins Institute for the Blind and asked them to pass on this information to the families that they serve. Most of the collection can be searched and requested through the CWMARS catalog. You can see what is in the collection by doing a subject search in thecatalog of "Braille book" in the Northampton Children's scope. More titles will be added in time.

The collection includes titles from mainstream popular literature as well as the classics. We are providing Braille books at each level of development from toddler board books to literature for older children. Sighted children learn to read when they are exposed to the printed word and visually impaired children also learn at an early age if they are exposed to the tactile page. "We are hoping that by providing Braille literature throughout childhood that we will increase the chances that these children will develop into competent Braille readers and lovers of books," said Jude McGowan, Children's Librarian at Forbes Library. Ifyou would like to learn more about the collection contact Jude at jmcgowan@forbeslibrary.org or 413-587-1010.

~ Thank you, Lisa Downing, Assistant Director, Forbes Library, Northampton, http://www.forbeslibrary.org/