New Material

• Foresight 2020 - Future Savvy: Trend Impacts and Organizational Readiness- delivered 12/10/2008(Urban Libraries Council)

FYI: Each audio conference unit contains a CD-ROM of the conference audio plus access to event materials. The accompanying binder also contains printed materials.

Please Note: The ULC library member reaction panel included Sheldon Kaye, Director, Lee County Library System.

Webinar Opportunities

If you enjoy sitting at your desk or logging into a computer at home to listen to a library-related webinar, then Library Journal has the opportunity for you. You will find webcasts of highly topical panel discussions available for downloading at the LJ Web site. Sponsored by vendors we know and use (e.g. Polaris, Novelist/NextReads) as well as universities and publishers, the topics are diverse and interesting. Of particular note is this archived webcast:

"The Everywhere Library: Strategies for Connecting with Busy Communities Sponsored by Polaris Library Systems. Starts: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 2 PM Eastern Daylight Time
To become ingrained in the daily fabric of the community, libraries today must reach out and be visible where patrons live, work and play. Join this one-hour, interactive webcast to learn about strategies and best practices for bringing the library to the community."

Find the complete list here.

New Book

• Digital Consumers: Reshaping the Information Profession edited by David Nicholas and Ian Rowlands

FYI: "There is a need for a new belief system that will help information professionals survive and engage in a ubiquitous information environment, where they are no longer the dominant players, nor, indeed, the suppliers of first choice. The aim of this though-provoking book is to provide that overarching vision, built on hard evidence rather than on PowerPoint 'puff'." -from the back cover

Thinkfinity.org

from American Libraries Direct the e-newsletter of the American Library Association
March 11, 2009

"Have you checked out this new front door to explore Thinkfinity.org content yet? Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation’s online portal to 55,000 standards-based, grade-specific, K–12 lesson plans and other educational resources provided with many of the nation’s leading educational and literacy organizations. Trainers from Thinkfinity.org were on hand during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, demonstrating how librarians can use the site...."

This site is very interesting and looks like it may have good resources for traditional as well as homeschooling families.

New Book

• Information Literacy Instruction Handbook edited by Christopher N. Cox and Elizabeth Blakesley Lindsay

One of Our Own

Posted on ALA Web site
10/10/09

Mayo to Present

2009 Dr. Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture

CHICAGO – Kathleen Mayo, head of Outreach Services for the Lee County Library System headquartered in Ft. Myers, Fla, will present the 2009 Dr. Jean E. Coleman Outreach Lecture for the American Library Association’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

The lecture honors the first director of the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services for her leadership in focusing the association's attention on issues affecting the traditionally underserved and under-represented in libraries.

This year’s lecture, entitled “The Challenges and Opportunities of Serving America’s Elders," will look at the American population as it ages and how libraries are responding to the reality of true lifelong learning. Mayo will explore innovative approaches and broad thinking that have been successful in other arenas: examining our resources, partnering with dynamic community groups, engaging the energy of older adults and developing new models that work for our communities.

The event is sponsored by the OLOS Advisory Committee. For more information, visit www.ala.org/olos or contact Isaac Tufvesson at (800) 545-2433, ext. 2140, or itufvesson@ala.org.

The mission of OLOS, as a part of the ALA Member Programs and Services Department, is to identify and promote library services that support equitable access to the knowledge and information stored in libraries. OLOS focuses attention on services that are inclusive of traditionally underserved populations, and people generally discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, language and social class. The Office ensures that training, information resources, and technical assistance are available to help libraries and librarians develop effective strategies to grow programs and services for library users.

New Books

• Great Displays for Your Library Step By Step by Susan P. Phillips
• Scorecards for Results: A Guide for Developing a Library Balanced Scorecard by Joseph R. Matthews
• Crash Course in Serving Spanish-Speakers by Salvador Avila

FYI: "Providing services to Spanish speakers is both an honor and a challenge. Before public institutions venture into reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community, they need to become familiar with their cultural competency so their decisions and initiatives are not at risk. This introduction will help libraries plan for attracting a rapidly growing Spanish-speaking population into the library and library services, a major challenge to librarians in small public libraries that have no Spanish-speaking staff." -from the back cover

Gaming

When it comes to gaming in the library, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. The Professional Collection has some books and there are fantastic resources assembled online by other libraries that have successfully hosted gaming events of all types. Click on the link below to read more.
The Librarian's Guide to Gaming:
An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming