FLA News Digest August 2007
News of Florida Library Association
FLA Appoints Steering Committee for Campaign to Convince Floridians of the Value
of Libraries
FLA President Charlie Parker appointed a Steering Committee to oversee the Association
campaign to increase the public’s awareness of the value of public libraries. This effort
comes at a time when funding for public libraries is threatened by county and city
revenue reductions that would result if the proposed constitutional amendment regarding
property taxes is passed by voters on January 29, 2008. The campaign will include
statewide public awareness efforts, participation in coalitions of like-minded
organizations, and provision of campaign materials for use at local public libraries.
Funds to support the campaign will come from the Dr. Marvin Mounce Advocacy Fund
and fundraising efforts. If you are interested in helping finance the campaign please
send your check to Ruth O’Donnell, FLA Executive Director at 3509 Trillium Ct.,
Tallahassee, FL 32312.
Urgent Call to Action to Keep $5 Million in State Aid to Public Libraries in the State
Budget
The Legislative Committee met on August 15 to develop the following statement
regarding the proposed $5 million reduction in 2007-08 state aid for public libraries
which will be considered at a September 18 special session of the Florida Legislature.
Members are encouraged to contact legislators to support the statement.
The Florida Library Association urges the Governor and Legislature not to reduce the
Department of State budget which includes a proposed $5 million reduction to the State
Aid to Public Libraries grant program. The $5 million represents 70.42% of the $7.1
million in budget reductions that the Department of State must propose as part of its
recommendation to reduce the Department’s budget by 10%. Public library budgets are
already being cut due to local government property tax reductions; and libraries will
suffer even more dramatic cuts if the proposed constitutional amendment is approved by
voters on January 29, 2008.
Through their knowledgeable staffs and access to free public computers, public libraries
facilitate universal access to the current myriad of e-government services. The
development of electronic forms, publications and services has increased efficiencies
throughout state government. However, Floridians most in need do not have the
resources necessary to access or use these services. They rely upon public libraries for
access to government and other information services.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.2
At same time the Department of State Budget has been cut so deeply in recent years that
it cannot sustain further cuts without layoffs and eliminating essential programs. A 10%
reduction would have serious consequences for services and programs that are essential
to Floridians.
FLA Library Days at the Florida Legislature Announced
Save the Date!
Library Days at the Florida Legislature
February 19 & 20, 2008
Tallahassee
A detailed schedule, hotel locations and rates, and registration information will
be available in the fall.
New Executive Board in Place
The new members of the FLA Executive Board were installed at the April 13 Annual
Meeting of the Association. The 2007-2008 Board members are:


President - Charles Parker, Tampa Bay Library Consortium
Vice-President/President Elect - Mercedes Clement, Daytona Beach
Community College
 Past President - Sol M. Hirsch, Alachua County Library District
 Secretary - Barbara Stites, Florida Gulf Coast University, Library Services
 Treasurer - Carol Russo, Broward County Library
 Director - Gloria Colvin, Florida State Library
 Director - Faye C. Roberts, State Library & Archives of Florida
 Director - Tom Sloan, Southeast Florida Library Information Network
 Director - Tomaro Taylor, USF Tampa Library
 ALA Councilor & USF Representative - Dr. Vicki Gregory, USF School of
Library & Information Sciences
 SELA Representative - Phyllis Ruscella, University of South Florida
Ex Officio Members
 FLA Executive Director - Ruth O’Donnell
 FLA Parliamentarian - Bernadette Storck
 State Librarian - Judith A. Ring
 FSU Representative - Corinne Jorgensen
 FLA Planning Committee - John VanBerkel, Manatee
County Public Library System
 Friends, Foundations & Boards Member Group
Leader - Barbara Correll
Lois Eannel,
 Board Fellow - Lois Eannel, Palm Harbor Library
Board Fellow
Contact information for Board members and a schedule of upcoming meetings can be
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.3
found on the FLA web site.
New Members Round Table Now on Facebook
The FLA New Members Round Table is now on Facebook! Members can use it to take
advantage of social networking, or to find colleagues and friends. The FLA-NMRT blog
is also available by clicking here. If you have questions about FLA-NMRT, contact
Tracey Reed or Cheryl Davis.
Librarians Receive Reduced Rate for Book Publishing Conference
In an effort to help librarians learn more to help their author/publisher patrons, the FPAmember discount is being offered to any FLA member who would like to attend the FPA
2007 Publishing Ed-U-Conference and Book Awards Luncheon, scheduled for
September 14-15 at the Marriott Fort Lauderdale North.
Friday will feature a book manufacturing tour and a social event hosted by the premier
book trade publication, Publishers Weekly. The Ed-U-Conference and Book Awards
luncheon will be held on Saturday and will feature Sara Nelson (Editor-in-Chief), Cevin
Byerman (Associate Publisher) and Louisa Ermelino (Reviews Director) from Publishers
Weekly, Meg Bertini (President) of DreamTime Publishing, David Prentice (Account
Executive) of Lightning Source Inc., Steve Sirlin (Secretary) of the FPA Board of
Directors and (Sales Representative) Batson Printing, and Reina Santana (President) of
RES Marketing Alliance. Details can received by requesting them from
FPAbooks@aol.com or by visiting www.flbookpub.org/educonf_2007.html.
Librarians should choose the FPA-member rate when registering, and they should
indicate their library affiliation on the registration form.
News of and For Florida Libraries
Tax Reform Measures Have Florida Libraries Bracing for Major Cuts
A property-tax rollback passed by the Florida legislature in June is sending libraries
scrambling to prepare for significant cuts; but even worse consequences loom if voters
approve a constitutional amendment on the January ballot. The June measure, which goes
into effect at the start of the next fiscal year on October 1, is a tax cut and cap that
requires cities and counties to roll back their annual tax rates to 2006-07 levels, as well as
mandating additional cuts. However, governing bodies are permitted to override the
measure with a two-thirds supermajority vote.
Press reports indicate that the prospect of funding cuts has prompted library systems to
raise the likelihood of reducing operating hours, closing on Sundays, trimming outreach
services and programming, and charging residents for library cards. Several county
systems have placed hiring freezes in response to the tax rollback, and others plan to
reduce operating hours. Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties have reported plans
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.4
to reduce bookmobile service and Miami-Dade announced a possible 80% cut in their
collections budget.
The constitutional amendment, to be decided January 29, would replace the current
$25,000 homestead exemption and the 3%-a-year Save Our Homes cap with a new
exemption of as much as $195,000, according to the July 23 Palm Beach Post. FLA
Executive Director Ruth O’Donnell told American Libraries the so-called “superexemption” would result in an average 22% cut in state revenues to municipalities and
counties, with individual cuts ranging from 10% to 35%.
FLA is surveying the state’s libraries about the effects of the October 1 reductions.
Meanwhile, O’Donnell noted that proceeds from the sales tax—a major revenue source in
a state without a personal income tax—have been down recently, and “that will probably
cause state aid to public libraries to be cut this year”—at a time when libraries cannot
afford to lose additional support.
Broward County Library Materials Included in Share the Wealth Packets
Two of Broward County Library’s print items have been selected for
inclusion in the 2007 Share the Wealth Packet sponsored by the
Library Public Relations Council. The two items include:


Online How to Guide:
http://www.broward.org/library/onlinehtguide.pdf
March 2006 Bookings
USF School of Library and Information Science Graduates Cohort of Students from
the Bahamas
On Saturday, August 11, the School of Library and Information Science at USF
graduated a cohort of nine students from the Bahamas. This was the first group of
students to earn the MLS from USF. USF and the College of the Bahamas jointly shared
the administration of the program, the first one of its kind between USF and the COB.
Participation is the program required web-based classes combined with face-to-face
classes over a two year period. Normally, the students took two courses per semester, and
this summer, they lived on the Tampa campus for a 10-week period to take part in
fieldwork experiences in local libraries, while completing their comprehensive exams and
two final courses. Dr. Linda Alexander, one of the Faculty involved in teaching courses
to this group, said, “The students are very well trained and are prepared to work in a
variety of library and information environments.”
Bahamas students graduating from the MLS program in August were: Catherine Archer,
Mara Bethel, Linda Gill-Aranha, Marsha Major, Yvette “Penny” Nottage, Suja Philip,
Patricia Rolle-Hamilton, Angela Smith, and Sandra Smith.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.5
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Orlando Public Library
The Orlando Hispanic Film Festival, the newest Florida-based film festival, joins the
Orlando Public Library in celebration of Hispanic Heritage with a public viewing of the
documentary film “Dream Havana.” In August of 1994, more than 33,000 Cubans
attempted to escape the island by sea. Two writers, friends since adolescence, are faced
with a choice: continue struggling with the hardships of the island or brave the open
water on a homemade raft. Ernesto Santana chooses Cuba. Jorge Mota chooses the Sea.
“Dream Havana” is the story of their struggles, their successes and the friendship that
binds them.
Join Gary Marks, the film’s Producer/Director, as he shares what inspired the project and
his insight behind the making of the film. A question and answer session, moderated by
WMFE, will follow the viewing. The event, Orlando Hispanic Film Festival Preview:
Celebrating Hispanics in the Innovative World of Film, will be held at the Orlando Public
Library, Library Central on Thursday, September 13 beginning at 7 p.m.
This event kicks off the Library’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and the first
annual Orlando Hispanic Film Festival being held October 12-14. For more information
about the film festival, visit: www.ohfilmfestival.com. Visit the Dream Havana website
at: www.dreamhavanamovie.com.
Publix Super Market Charities Awards Talking Book Library Grant for Assistive Devices
The Pinellas Talking Book Library (TBL) has received a grant from Publix Super Market
Charities to bring Playaway audio books to the library collection. The $1,500 donation
supports this new service on behalf of the library for their blind and physically
handicapped patrons. Playaway Audio books are packaged with everything the library
patron needs to start listening immediately. The books are pre-loaded pocketsize digital
books designed for people who want to simply turn on the device, listen, and enjoy! The
book has been loaded on the device, so there is no need to download software, download
content, or transfer content to the portable playback device. The Publix grant has brought
this high demand service to the Talking Book Library and has enabled the staff to add 31
new titles to their collection. Through this support, TBL patrons have access to more
titles with greater flexibility and can maintain their lifelong enjoyment of reading. For
more information regarding the Playaway audio books or other Talking Book Library
programs, contact the Pinellas Talking Book Library at 727-441-9958.
Broward County Library Celebrates Harry Potter
Broward County Library held an array of interesting and exciting programs
to in connection with Harry Potter’s newest movie, “Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix,” and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows. To view information about the Harry Potter-related programs and
photos of the events, visit:
http://www.broward.org/library/harrypotter.htm.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.6
Fort Lauderdale OKs Gay Library Despite Mayor’s Discomfort
The Fort Lauderdale city commission voted July 10 to permit the gay-oriented Stonewall
Library to relocate on city property, despite comments by Mayor Jim Naugle that he was
“uncomfortable and shocked” about library material he had seen. Even though library
officials explained that visitors must be 18 or older to enter the private library, the Miami
Herald reported June 11 that at the commission meeting Naugle said the library’s
holdings—billed as one of the nation’s largest collections of gay and lesbian literature—
may include “hard-core” pornographic material. To check out one of Stonewall’s 600
movies or 18,000 books, patrons must fill out a membership form; archives and
periodicals do not circulate.
“There’s material that people would feel uncomfortable with just as I would feel
uncomfortable and queasy reading a medical journal,” said Jack Rutland, the library’s
director. “Our duty is to represent every aspect of our community. If someone is looking
for information on religion and gays, the lesbian revolution, AIDS activists, or every
issue of the Advocate dating back to the 1960s, they’ll find it. It’s a historical research
archive; the circulating collection does not contain anything pornographic, even in the
least sense of that word.”
In the end, the commission voted 3–2 to allow the Stonewall Library to move into space
in the city building at 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd., which also houses a Broward County
Library branch.
Party with Harry Potter at Union County Public Library
The recent Harry Potter
party at the Union County
Public Library was a huge
success! The event saw 190
muggles and wizards in
attendance on July 20 from
9:00pm until midnight.
There were Hogwarts
classes that kids attended
including Muggle Studies,
Divinations, and Potions. In
addition, everyone enjoyed
a visit to the magical shops
in “Hogsmeade” where they
spent Galleons, Sickles, and
Knuts on treats such as Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans, pumpkin juice & pumpkin
cookies, Treacle Fudge, Cockroach Clusters, and more. The evening culminated with a
Wizard Tournament where one lucky winner won the new book. The party ended at
12:01a.m. when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released for all to enjoy. A
video of this event can be found here.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.7
Broward County Library Wins 2007 APEX Award for Publication Excellence
Broward County Library won a 2007 APEX Award for Publication Excellence
in the category of Newsletters – Web & Electronic for its September 2006
issue of the E-Newsletter. The monthly E-Newsletter includes articles on
Hispanic Heritage Month and Library Card Sign Up Month. Additionally,
the E-Newsletter featured the opening of the new North Lauderdale
Saraniero Branch Library and a new initiative called the Recognition in Reading awards.
To view Broward County Library’s September 2006 E-Newsletter, visit:
http://www.broward.org/library/newsletter/sept06
Palm Harbor Library Starts New “Lifelong Partners in Reading” Program
The Palm Harbor Library is seeking teen and adult volunteers who can read newspapers,
short stories, and magazine articles to the residents of assisted living facilities. The
concept is the brain child of Cecile Creely, Volunteer Coordinator, who received a
request from a former library book club member who is now unable to read; she called to
ask if there was anyone who would be willing to read to her, even if she had to pay for
the service. Unfortunately, the library didn’t offer this service. So Cecile devised the
“Lifelong Partners in Reading” Program as a way to help people in need and also fill the
numerous requests for community service hours she had gotten from teens. This new
program will satisfy the requirements of the Bright Futures Scholarship, CAS, National
Honor Society, and other high school assignments. Coral Oaks Assisted Living Center
has agreed to be the first to offer this service to its residents. If it goes well, the library
plans to offer it to other assisted living facilities.
Patrick Riordan Memorial Research Fellowship Presentation at USF
On Thursday, August 2, 2007 Thomas Rudczynski,
2007 Patrick Riordan Memorial Research Fellowship
recipient and Northwestern Ph.D. candidate, gave an
informal presentation on his project “God’s Waiting
Room: How Retirement to Florida Transformed the
Sunbelt and the Nation.” The presentation focused
primarily on Southwest Florida and included a lively
discussion on how retirement to Florida impacted local
politics and the growth of Tampa Bay’s surrounding
communities.
The Patrick Riordan Memorial Research Fellowship is presented by the USF Libraries
Florida Studies Center annually to promote arts and humanities education on Florida and
its people to students, teachers, and the general public in the Tampa Bay region. Named
for the Center’s late director, the Fellowship awards $2,500 to an M.A. student or Ph.D.
candidate engaged in thesis or dissertation research on a Florida studies topic.
For more information on Thomas Rudczynski’s project as well as the Patrick Riordan
Memorial Fellowship, visit: www.lib.usf.edu.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.8
Pinellas Deaf Literacy Center Recognized by Florida Association of the Deaf
The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative’s Deaf Literacy Center was recently recognized
by the Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD). In recognition to community service and
to improving the literacy skills of the Deaf community, the Deaf Literacy Center received
the Outstanding Community Service Award at the recent Florida Association of the Deaf
Conference in Orlando, Florida. “The Deaf Literacy Center’s innovative program has not
only made an impact in the lives of our local Deaf community but has also become a
national Deaf Literacy model. We are very proud to have this type of program in our
state,” said Christopher Wagner, FAD President.
The Deaf Literacy Center is a service of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and
provides direct service to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at four library locations – the
Main Office at the Safety Harbor Public Library, the Palm Harbor Public Library, the
Pinellas Park Public Library, and the St. Petersburg South Branch Library. For more
information, contact the Deaf Literacy Center at 727-724-1525 ext. 232.
Lee County Library System Applauds Recent Leadership Graduates
Lynn Hourigan
Two Lee County Library System staff
members are proud graduates of the 20062007 Sunshine State Library Leadership
Institute. Librarian Lynn Hourigan, of East
County Regional Library, and Multicultural
Program Coordinator Maria Palacio
graduated from the 10-session leadership
program on Friday, Aug. 3. They were
among 37 graduates of the Institute’s third
class.
Maria Palacio
The Florida Department of State, State Library and Archives of Florida sponsors the
Leadership Institute, which cultivates and enhances the leadership skills of Florida’s
library staff. NEFLIN coordinates the state-funded program. Participants attend a series
of one-day sessions over a 10-month period and learn skills that prepare them to serve in
administrative roles at the local, regional, state and national levels.
A NEFLIN committee selected Hourigan and Palacio from among a pool of 76 Institute
applicants displaying leadership potential at academic, public, school and special libraries
across Florida. Hourigan has been employed with the Lee County Library System since
February 2002. Palacio joined the LCLS staff as a library associate in October 2003. Visit
NEFLIN’s Web site for a complete list of third-class graduates and their mentors.
City of Mermaids Featured at Orlando Public Library
Take a road trip to the past and explore “Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids” with author
and FSU Fellow Dr. Lu Vickers on Saturday, September 8 at 10 a.m. at the Orlando
Public Library in the Albertson Room. Vickers will share a nostalgic look at the last
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.9
surviving mermaid attraction in the country. In its pre-Disney hey-day, Weeki Wachee
was a marriage of quintessential Florida spring and kitschy roadside tourist attraction. It
features mermaids on the move with its submerged ballets presented by women dressed
as real-life Ariels. Although Weeki Wachee just celebrated its 60th anniversary and is
still in the swim of things, the once-popular attraction is now struggling to keep its head
below water. Take a trip to Weeki Wachee and soak up a fish-out-of-water tale at
September’s Second Saturday program.
In July 2007, a $613,478 grant was awarded to the Internet Public Library project by the
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Dr. Lorri Mon and Dr. Sabah Currim
of FSU’s College of Information are collaborating on the project with faculty at Drexel
University and the University of Michigan to expand digital teaching and learning
opportunities within the Internet Public Library to all of the ALA- accredited LIS
programs.
Martin County Library System Receives NACo Award for Red Bench Program
Martin County Library System received a Best in
Category Achievement Award from The National
Association of Counties (NACo) for the Red Bench
Program, a home-based literacy and parenting program
funded by The Children’s Services Council of Martin
County. Presentations in more than 20 categories were
made to this year’s winners, representing 27 states and
97 counties, at the July 15 annual Awards Ceremony in
the Greater Richmond Region, Virginia. The NACo
Achievement Award Program is a non-competitive
program that recognizes counties for improving the
NACo Immediate Past President
management of and services provided by county
Commissioner Colleen Landkamer,
government. Partnering with Head Start and serving
former MCLS Youth Services
low-income families in Martin County, the innovative
Coordinator Lora Fegley, and
Red Bench Program provides bi-monthly home visits
Harry W. Hayes, Keynote Speaker
by a trained visitor/role model, a bright red reading
and Public Service Associate and
Local Government Project Director
bench the family keeps, an activity box, and a new
at the Carl Vinson Institute of
book selected by the Youth Services coordinator at
Government, University of Georgia.
every visit. The program culminates in a fiesta for
participants and their families at their local library
branch, with refreshments and library cards for all. For more information about the
Martin County Library System visit the library Web site.
Digital Librarianship: The Internet Public Library at Florida State University
Answering e-mail reference questions from library patrons around the world is just one of
the innovative hands-on learning experiences available to Florida graduate students
through a partnership between Florida State University’s College of Information and the
Internet Public Library (IPL).
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.10
In Fall 2007, FSU graduate students will join with graduate students at Drexel University
and the University of Michigan to run the Internet Public Library, while learning how
to manage digital library collections, build exhibits and resources, and run a virtual
reference service. FSU’s Virtual Reference Environments class is designed to prepare
students for a fast-changing world in which librarians are experimenting with services via
e-mail, chat, virtual worlds, and social networking sites.
“Our students will be competing for employment in libraries that offer not only
traditional reference desk services, but also e-mail, chat, instant messaging and more,”
said Dr. Lorri Mon, FSU’s IPL faculty liaison. “Libraries today are on MySpace and
Facebook, and even in virtual worlds such as Second Life. The Internet Public Library
allows our FSU students to gain hands-on experience within a fully-functioning digital
library.”
Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Participates in NEA Big Read
The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative was one of 117 organizations to receive grant
funds from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support their sixth annual
countywide reading initiative in conjunction with their Read Around Pinellas program.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald will be the focus of the countywide event, set for
the month of October. The library cooperative will partner with Pinellas County Schools,
the St. Petersburg Times, and the Florida Orchestra as well as local cities and museums to
provide cultural programming and book discussions about Fitzgerald’s novel.
In the grand fashion of the 1920s Jazz Age, Pinellas will kick off the Big Read program
with a “Gatsby Gala” in Historic St. Petersburg’s Coliseum on October 2 from 6:00 –
8:00 p.m. While sampling delectable desserts and enjoying gourmet coffees, guests will
listen to The Florida Orchestra bring the music of the 1920s to life. The Suncoast Dance
Academy will bring the flapper atmosphere to the hall and
invite guests to try out their Charleston steps. The event
admission fee is $2.50.
Throughout the month, Pinellas County residents can attend
book discussions, film screenings, and special events. There
will be guest scholar lectures, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” Gatsby
lock-ins for teens every Friday, and two baseball-themed
programs, focusing on the 1919 baseball scandal highlighted in
the novel.
The closing weekend activities will include participation in the
Times Festival of Reading and an Afternoon Tea at the Plumb
House hosted by the City of Clearwater. The Plumb House will
present the historical back-drop for the closing program and
will include tours of the home, the music of The Florida
Orchestra, children’s activities, refreshments, and costumed
actors portraying Gatsby main characters. This event will also
showcase special displays from the Clearwater Historical
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.11
Society. (Admission is free.) For more information regarding the Big Read, contact Paula
Godfrey at 727-441 -8408 or visit www.pplc.us or www.NEABigRead.org.
USF Sacred Leaves Exhibition: Beyond the Quill…Books Printed Between 1450-1500
The fourth in the USF Sacred Leaves
Exhibition, “Beyond the Quill…Books
Printed Between 1450-1500”, is still on
display in the USF Library Special
Collections Reading Room. The exhibit
will run through September 30, 2007 and
can be viewed during normal Special
Collections hours or by appointment.
The exhibition features three full books
and 19 individual pages from books
printed in Europe before 1500 depicting
the transition between script and print.
The incunabula, books printed during the
first fifty years of the printing press,
display offers physical evidence of the
gradual transition between script and
print. Each item on display reveals the
overlapping characteristics of production
and presentation during this transitional
and experimental period.
For more information regarding the
exhibit please visit Special Collections
on the USF Libraries website.
UF Government Documents Department Celebrates 100 years as Federal Depository
The Smathers Libraries’ Government Documents Department, the Regional Federal
Depository for Florida and the Caribbean, hosted a state-wide depository meeting in
conjunction with its 100th anniversary as a participant in the Federal Depository Library
Program on Friday, August 17, 2007 in Smathers Library (East). The event included
guest speakers from the Census Bureau, U.S. Government Printing office (GPO), State
Library of Florida and Judith C. Russell, Dean of University Libraries and former
Superintendent of Documents at the GPO.
The meeting attendees were librarians from a mix of public, law and academic libraries
as well as the State Library of Florida. The 44 Selective Depositories in Florida, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands are part of a national network that makes information
published by the Federal Government accessible and freely available to the general
public.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.12
A celebration of the 100th anniversary of Smathers Library was held in room 1A. The
special guest was Larry Cretul, deputy majority leader from the Florida House of
Representatives. UF Provost Janie Fouke read a congratulatory letter from Governor
Charlie Crist. Mickie Edwardson, professor emeritus from the College of Journalism,
talked briefly about the importance of the collection to her research.
For more information on Project LEAD, visit the Project LEAD section of the Florida
State University College of Information website.
Entirely Online: FSU’s Post-Master’s Certificate and Specialist Degree
An August 13 article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel highlights how the Florida State
University College of Information’s Project LEAD is providing master’s degree
opportunities for school library media specialists in conjunction with Florida school
districts. To read the article, go to: http://www.sunsentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-810libraries,0,3955490.story. Project LEAD,
developed with IMLS funding, is an online curriculum that integrates National Board
Certification, the highest credential in the teaching profession.
Media specialists who are already graduates of master’s programs in library and
information studies may be interested in the post-master’s options of Project LEAD in
order to prepare for the National Board and to develop leadership skills. Project LEAD
offers a 12-credit post-master’s leadership certificate and a 30-credit post-master’s
specialist degree, both of which can be taken entirely online. Four leadership courses,
which correspond to the four required portfolio entries in Library Media for the National
Board, form the core of the LEAD curriculum. These courses are: Information
Leadership, Leadership in Reading, Leadership in Technology, and The Instructional
Role of the Information Specialist. Florida State belongs to the Academic Common
Market thus facilitating participation for students from other states.
National and International News
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Awards $1.2 Million To Improve The Preservation Of
Photographic Collections In Historically Black Colleges And Universities
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a grant for $1.2 million to the Art
Conservation Department at the University of Delaware and SOLINET, in partnership
with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Library Alliance and the
Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA).
The grant is to fund a 30-month, four-phase initiative to improve the preservation of
significant photographic collections held within Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs). “These collections document the visual and institutional history
and legacy of HBCUs and form a core of primary research material for the study of
African American history,” said Kate Nevins, Executive Director, SOLINET.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.13
A recent survey of the HBCU libraries revealed that only 22 percent had completed a
conservation assessment of their photographic holdings, which is a necessary step in
determining the short and long-term needs of a collection. “This grant will immediately
empower the stewards of these important collections by providing practical training in
photograph preservation, assisting with prioritization of needed projects, stabilizing atrisk collections, and encouraging investment in preservation capacity-building within
their institutions,” said Debra Hess Norris, Chair of the Art Conservation Department at
the University of Delaware.
The project includes an educational summit on photograph preservation, on-site
collection assessments, and funding for projects and environmental monitoring at ten
HBCUs. Longer-term, the project will promote opportunities for sharing resources and
conservation knowledge within the broader HBCU network, and introduce HBCU
undergraduates to graduate studies and careers in conservation and preservation as well
as other professional opportunities within libraries, archives and museums.
Apply Now for Excellence in Academic Libraries Award
The “Excellence in Academic Libraries Award” recognizes academic librarians and staff
who work together as a team to develop academic libraries that are outstanding in
furthering the educational missions of their institutions. Academic libraries may
demonstrate excellence through one or more of the following criteria, or in other ways
that reflect the purpose and philosophy of this award:



Creativity and innovation in meeting the needs of their academic community
Leadership in developing and implementing exemplary programs that other
libraries can emulate
Substantial and productive relationships with classroom faculty and students
An award of $3,000 and a plaque for each type of academic library (community college,
college, and university) will be given. The award is sponsored by Blackwell’s Book
Services. For further details, click here. The deadline for applications is December 7,
2007.
SOLINET Awarded Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
SOLINET has been awarded a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS), which will be used to bolster the Gulf Coast Libraries Project, a threeyear initiative to re-establish public libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi.
The $866,284 grant, part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, will create
staff capacity and strengthen staff skills in 16 public library systems in Louisiana and
Mississippi that suffered severe damage and destruction from Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita in 2005. SOLINET, in partnership with the affected libraries, will provide staff to
operate temporary library facilities in communities while permanent libraries are planned
and rebuilt, as well as continuing education to build knowledgeable, skilled library staff
to support these communities as they rebuild and recover.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.14
The two-year Staffing Gulf Coast Libraries Project will work in synergy with a multiyear project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation
project supports recovery of public libraries in Louisiana and Mississippi by providing
and operating temporary library facilities where services are currently unavailable due to
building loss, assisting libraries with planning for rebuilding, and replacing all lost public
access computers. In August 2006, SOLINET received a $12.2 million grant from the
Gates Foundation to support the Gulf Coast Libraries Project.
Freedom of Information Bill Passes Senate
On August 3, the U.S. Senate joined the House in passing bipartisan legislation that will
fix several of the most glaring problems with the U.S. Freedom of Information Act that
were identified in six government-wide audits of FOIA practice carried out by the
National Security Archive. The legislation, authored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx.), overcame a hold placed by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Az) on behalf of
Alberto Gonzales’ Justice Department. It passed late Friday evening by unanimous
consent, on the last day of the Congressional session before the August recess.
After a conference to reconcile provisions between the House and Senate versions, the
new law will mandate tracking numbers for FOIA requests that take longer than 10 days
to process so they will no longer fall through the cracks, require agencies to report more
accurately to Congress on their FOIA programs, create a new ombuds office at the
National Archives to mediate conflicts between agencies and requesters, clarify the
purpose of FOIA to encourage dissemination of government information, and provide
incentives to agencies to avoid litigation and processing delays.
The most recent audit by the Archive, the Knight Open Government Survey released in
July 2007, found that the oldest still-pending FOIA requests had languished in federal
agencies for as long as 20 years.
The previous Knight Open Government Survey, released in March 2007, found that only
one out of five federal agencies had complied fully with the last FOIA reform legislation,
the Electronic FOIA Amendments passed in 1996, intended to post so much government
information on the Web that many FOIA requests would become unnecessary.
The Archive’s audits of federal government FOIA practice are supported by the John S.
and James L. Knight Foundation. Archive partners in the efforts to reform the FOIA
include the OpenTheGovernment.org coalition, the Sunshine in Government Initiative,
the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, the Reporters Committee for Freedom
of the Press, Public Citizen and Public Citizen Litigation Group, and dozens of other
groups that signed on to support the House and Senate bills this year.
The full text of the Senate legislation and the Kyl amendment have been posted on the
Archive’s Web site.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.15
Find Out What Rural Librarians Think About Their Salaries
Rather than assume based on salary and cost-of-living comparisons, the American
Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) asked the constituents
served by the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) their thought
about their salaries. The results were insightful and sometimes surprising. The Rural
Libraries Salary Survey was conducted by ALA-APA for a panel discussion at the ALA
Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The program was entitled, “Rural and Small
Libraries vs. Small Salaries.” ALA-APA and OLOS shines light on a long-overlooked
area of librarianship - the low salaries and status of library workers in small and rural
libraries.
Respondents were from inland Alaska to the Carolina coast, from the Pennsylvania hills
to the plains of Wyoming. The vast coverage explained the differences in what
respondents considered “rural.” The first question of the survey asked how respondents
defined rural, and the responses could be categorized as isolated, agrarian or sparsely
populated, depending on the location. Answers to the question about how respondents
feel about rural library staff salaries, we were struck most by the commonalities: pay
inequity, low professional status, lack of qualified staff, high employee turnover and a
concern about the effects of the new minimum wage on rural economies.
However, the survey leaves readers with hope. Many rural library workers have
successfully advocated for improved status and salaries. The techniques used were
reflective of the advice given in the Better Salaries and Pay Equity Toolkit (ALA-APA,
2007) and The Small but Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library
(OLOS, 2007): educate patrons, city officials and boards about the value of library staff,
use clear advocacy messages, consult national and local salary surveys, seek outside
funding and be patient.
The panel featured Judy Rule, director of Cabell County (W.Va.) Public Library, who
was successful in raising salaries, improving benefits and increasing staff satisfaction in a
state with the lowest salaries in the nation and severe budget constraints. Amy Grasmick,
director of Kimball (Vt.) Public Library, explained that Vermont is so small that only the
capitol city qualifies for E-Rate funding and that almost all funding is from local sources.
Grasmick was on the committee that created Increasing Public Library Compensation: a
How-to Guide for Vermont Libraries. Jenifer Grady, director of ALA-APA, presented
library staff salaries from a national perspective and the Rural Libraries Staff Survey
results. The panel was moderated by Carol Barta, Chair of the ALA Committee on Rural,
Native and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds.
The results of the Rural Library Staff Salary Survey may be found on the OLOS Web site
and comments are welcome:
http://www.ala.org/ala/olos/aboutolos/oloscommittees/rnt/RuralLibSalarySurvey.pdf.
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.16
“The Hollywood Librarian” World Premiere
A huge crowd gathered at the June 22, 2007, world
premiere of “The Hollywood Librarian” at the ALA
Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Attendees
enjoyed a red-carpet entry before viewing a film that
mixes representations of librarians in cinema with
current issues facing librarians today. Along with a
few special guests, writer/director Ann Siedl spoke
afterwards about the challenge of marketing
ourselves and her plan to distribute the film in
libraries during Banned Books Week.
Plan Now for Friends of the Libraries Week October 21-27
JanWay Company is once again partnering with the Friends of the Libraries U.S.A.
(FOLUSA) in helping promote the Second Annual Friends of the Libraries Week October
21-27. This is the week following Teen Read Week. Friends Week is a great way to
thank and recognize public library or academic Friends groups, and it offers a unique
opportunity for the Friends themselves to do membership drives and increase awareness
of all the things they do. For more information, visit the FOLUSA Web site or
www.janway.com.
Senators Hear Arguments for Internet Safety Education
The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held hearings
July 24 to review steps that Congress could take to protect children from online
predators. The hearings were called to solicit input on a revised version of the Protecting
Children in the 21st Century Act (S. 49) that Committee Vice Chairman Sen. Ted Stevens
(R-Alaska) said his staff is working on, following the bill’s failure to come up for a vote.
One expert witness was David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire’s
Crimes Against Children Research Center, who provided the committee with statistics on
internet predation:
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Teenagers, not young children, are the predominant victims of online sex crimes.
Some 80% of predators are “quite explicit about their sexual intentions” and do
not resort to “posing online as other children in order to set up an abduction and
an assault.”
The offenders spend weeks in explicit online conversations “that play on the
teen’s desires for romance, adventure, sexual information, and understanding.”
Half the victims are described by police as “being in love with or feeling close
friendship with the offender.”
Finkelhor advised committee members that giving out personal information is “not what
puts kids at risk,” nor does having a blog, a personal website, or a MySpace account. “We
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.17
need to educate them.” He added, “Like discouraging kids from smoking or drinking, the
simple scare tactics often don’t work.”
Although no witnesses from the civil liberties community were represented at the
hearings, the Center for Democracy and Technology submitted a statement that echoed
the call for internet safety education as “the most important step that the government can
take.”
Sen. Stevens did mention that identifying more effective filtering technologies would be
a part of his revised legislation, although he qualified it as a way to “better enable parents
to proactively protect their children online.”
“The American Library Association appreciates the shift in debate to education,” ALA
Office of Government Relations Director Lynne Bradley told American Libraries, “rather
than expanding the federal mandate to block content, as the Children’s Internet Protection
Act already does. The experiences of librarians, parents, teachers, and others continue to
affirm that teaching kids how to safely navigate the World Wide Web is the best tool.”
People
Julie Bill was recently promoted to a young adult librarian position at East County
Regional Library (Lehigh Acres). She worked as a library associate at Lakes Regional
Library before her promotion. Bill has been a staff member of the Lee County Library
System since 2001.
Ardis Hansen, Director of the de la Parte Institute Research Library, was co-editor and
author of six chapters in the recently published monograph, Introduction to Public Health
in Pharmacy (Jones & Bertlett).
Susan Heron, USF Associate Director of Technical Services, has been promoted to
University Librarian.
Jill Horrom, senior librarian of Reference at Lakes Regional Library (Fort Myers), has
been accepted into the nationwide Certified Public Library Administrator program. The
CPLA is jointly sponsored by the PLA, LAMA, and the Association of Specialized and
Cooperative Library Agencies. Public librarians with three or more years of supervisory
experience qualify for the certification program, which helps participants further their
professional development and advance to a higher level of practical professional
experience – among other benefits. Horrom has worked as a senior librarian within the
Lee County Library System for four years.
FLA is a PLA/CPLA partner and is co-sponsoring two upcoming accredited workshops
in Orlando. For more information contact Ruth O’Donnell.
Florence Jandreau, USF Administrative Assistant to the Dean, and Nancy JacobsDilley, USF Assistant to the Human Resources Manager, received international
recognition this past month from the International Association of Administrative
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.18
Professionals (IAAP). Jandreau has been with USF for the past 35 years as an integral
part of the Library System and was awarded: Distinguished Division President,
Outstanding Division President in Membership, Outstanding Division President in New
Chapter Development, and International President’s Award in Development. JacobsDilley was awarded Distinguished Chapter President.
Dr. Kathleen de la Peña McCook, University of South Florida, published “Public
Libraries and Human Rights” (with K.J. Phenix) in Public Library Quarterly vol. 25
(2006): pp. 57-73.
Monica Metz-Wiesman, USF Coordinator of Electronic Resources, authored “Not So
Great Expectations: E-Book Licenses” in the most recent issue of the International
Groupd of Ex Libris Users (IGeLU) Newsletter:
http://www.igelu.org/organisation/newsletter/igelu_newsletter_2007_1/view
Keli Rylance, USF Assistant University Librarian, Special Collections Department for
the University of South Florida Tampa Library, was awarded the Hugh A. Taylor Prize
for Archivaria. Quoting from an email by Archivaria General Editor Catherine Bailey, in
which she learned of the award: In late 2006 Archivaria established the Hugh A. Taylor
Prize, a new award that honours the doyen of Canadian archival thinkers whose wide
range of scholarly publications sparked the Canadian archival imagination. The prize is
awarded annually to the author of the Archivaria article that “presents new ideas or
refreshing syntheses in the most imaginative way, especially by exploring the
implications of concepts or trends from other disciplines for archival thinking and
activity, and by extending the boundaries of archival theory in new directions.” The
citation on the certificate notes: “In her innovative and thought-provoking exploration of
the affinity of archives for tangible objects (records, photographs, or artifacts) rather than
other examples of “intangible cultural heritage,” and the results that this traditional
affinity has on the profession’s definition of the nature of archival records and their
treatment, Dr. Rylance invites us to reconsider our role in preserving “culturally
meaningful expressions regardless of physicality.”
M. Wayne Smith, Chairman, Union County Board of County Commissioners, has been
chosen to receive the 2006-2007 NEFLIN Library Champion Award. Mr. Smith has
provided outstanding support of the Union County Public Library, located in Lake Butler.
Especially noteworthy is the faithful assistance he provided during the grant application
process, planning, and many other aspects, as construction begins for a new library. The
NEFLIN Library Champion will be honored at the NEFLIN Annual Meeting on
September 21 in Jacksonville.
Kristy Sutorius, formerly a Youth Services librarian at Lakes Regional Library (Fort
Myers), is now a senior librarian at Lee County Library. She began her new duties as the
head of Lakes’ Youth Services two months ago. Sutorius joined the Library System last
year.
Shirley Symonds, volunteer at the Bureau of Braille and Talking Book Library Services,
received the Governor’s “Point of Light” Award from State Senator Evelyn Lynn, in a
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.19
ceremony in the Weber Room. Shirley has volunteered her service to the Library for 26
years, and worked more than 20,000 hours in that time to benefit Florida residents with
disabilities. Symonds was nominated for this honor by former Department of Education
Commissioner John Winn, after a tour of our facilities in which he met Shirley as she was
working in the Braille production area.
Calendar
September 2007
9/12
Deadline for September News Digest; send items to Laura Kirkland
9/12
Local Arrangements Sub-Committee of the FLA Conference Committee
meeting, St. Pete Beach Library
9/13 & 14 FLA Conference Committee meeting, St. Pete Beach Library
9/18
First day of the special session of the Florida Legislature to reduce state
budget due to revenue shortfall
October 2007
10/1
FLA membership renewal for 2008 begins
10/12
Deadline for October News Digest; send items to Laura Kirkland
10/10-12 Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) Conference, Orlando
http://www.floridamedia.org/
10/10-13 Public Library Directors Conference presented by the State Library &
Archives of Florida, Clearwater Beach
10/25
FLA Legislative Committee meeting at Florida Atlantic University Library,
Boca Raton
10/26
FLA Board Meeting at Florida Atlantic University Library, Boca Raton
10/31
Friends, Foundations & Board Workshop, Niceville Community Center
November 2007
11/2
Friends, Foundations & Boards Workshop, Lee County South County
Regional Library
11/8
Friends, Foundations & Boards Workshop, Indian River County Main Library
FLA News Digest
August 2007- p.20
11/12
Friends, Foundations & Boards Workshop, Seminole Community Library at
St. Petersburg College
11/15
Friends, Foundations & Boards Workshop, Broward Northwest Regional
Library