The American Library Association’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) recently released a new toolkit, now available in print and as a free download. From their press release:

Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ your library responds to the needs of librarians across the country who provide services to the older adults in their communities every day.  The toolkit provides tips and tools to better understand and serve this important and growing segment of the population, covering topics ranging from programming, funding, publicity, accessibility, best practices and much more.  The toolkit is also available in a large-print downloadable version.

Check it out now at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/toolkits/olderadults.cfm.

Download here: Regular Print Edition (pdf) | Large Print Edition (pdf)

Check out this great new report from OCLC:

This new report examines the economic, social and cultural impact of libraries in the United States. As the current economic environment is impacting library budgets and library usage is increasing, particular attention is paid to the role that libraries play in providing assistance to job-seekers and support for small businesses. Information includes statistics on:

• Americans receiving job-seeking help and career assistance at public libraries
• Libraries as a resource for small businesses
• The prevalence and scope of library activity in the United States
• Libraries as providers of free services to the community such as Wi-Fi access, technology training and meeting rooms
• Comparisons of library activities to various retail and entertainment businesses

Download it now: full color (pdf) | black and white (pdf)

Libraries vs eBooks? Check out this great radio show from Baltimore Public Radio’s Midday with Dan Rodricks.

With entire books just a download away, the old fashioned library needs to work to keep up with the times.  We’ll talk about how libraries can adapt–and thrive–in the age of the iPad with Carla Hayden, Chief Executive Officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library; Gina Millsap of the American Library Association; and Michael Porter, a librarian who blogs at Libraryman.com.

There is a new library data table in the Statistical Abstract of the US, which just came out this week.  The new table is in Section 24, the Information and Communication section.  It lists the number of library service outlets and library services by state.  A PDF copy of the table can be found at:

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s1116.pdf

Evidently neither OCLC nor EBSCO have any problems with secrets leaking out from their companies, because this comes as a huge shock (and us just getting our big statewide NetLibrary thing going)! Basically it looks as though OCLC is moving away from owning/reselling content, and instead focusing more on providing access to other people’s content (a good move, I think).

Library Journal has a good paragraph regarding OCLC’s position in this:

“It’s a strategic repositioning from hosting and reselling content to building WorldCat out as a platform that libraries can use to manage and provide access to their entire collection,” including ebooks and articles, said OCLC VP Chip Nilges in an interview with LJ. It’s also “part of a broader effort to “provide comprehensive coverage” of ebooks in WorldCat,” said Nilges. “We have an agreement with Google Book Search to link to books in WorldCat; we have a similar agreement with Hathi Trust. We’re in hot pursuit of many different providers.”

EBSCO, meanwhile, has furthered their attempt at domination of the content market, also buying 15 vendor-owned databases that were once a part of FirstSearch.

Lots more info via the press release on PRWeb.

Anyone who works in libraries in Washington State knows that there is a whole lot of moving and shaking going on. I can’t think of a library staff-person I’ve met in my work who hasn’t been completely dedicated to their jobs and offering 150% to provide their users the best possible service.

So when Library Journal takes the time to honor two of these individuals in the ranks of their 2010 Movers and Shakers, it’s a tribute to the hard work that all of us do every day. Keep up the good work, and remember that it’s never too early to start nominating your library’s superstar staff for the 2011 Movers and Shakers list.

In the meantime, congratulations (and well-deserved!) to Washington’s newest Movers and Shakers!

Georgia Lomax, Deputy Director @ Pierce County Library System

Bernadette Salgado, Children’s Section Supervisor @ King County Library System

News Release

The Washington State Library and the library community are celebrating the approval of an $84 million grant award that will provide high-speed broadband Internet access to 57 public libraries where broadband connections are limited.

“Washingtonians turn to their libraries for information, particularly during hard times,” said Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh. “We are delighted to partner in this grant to bring high-speed broadband to rural libraries in the state. Libraries are in need of increased broadband capacity to provide the programs and services needed to better serve the people of Washington.”

Secretary of State Sam Reed was especially pleased with the grant’s impact on libraries in small, rural communities.

“Broadband stimulus funding will help bridge the digital divide in rural communities by providing people access to the resources and information they need,” Reed said.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved the award, which was announced Monday. The State Library is a partner in a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant application in Washington. Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) is the lead applicant for the broadband grant project.

The project plans to provide speeds of at least 100 megabytes per second (Mbps) to 57 libraries, 22 government facilities, 38 medical centers, two tribal service centers and four community colleges.

Libraries benefiting from the broadband grant include those in:

• Castle Rock, Cathlamet, Clarkston, Davenport, Dayton, Deming, Harrington, Kahlotus, Kalama, Longview, Odessa, Pomeroy, Pullman, Reardan, Ritzville, Waitsburg, Walla Walla and Wilbur;
• Fort Vancouver Regional Library District branches in Goldendale, North Bonneville, Ridgefield, Stevenson, White Salmon and Woodland;
• Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Library in Blyn;
• Kitsap Regional Library branches in downtown Bremerton, Sylvan Way and Poulsbo;
• Mid-Columbia Library System branches in Connell, Eltopia and Othello;
• North Olympic Library System branches in Forks and Sequim;
• Timberland Regional Library branches in Centralia, Chehalis, Ilwaco, McCleary, Naselle, Randle, Raymond, Salkum and South Bend;
• Whitman County Rural Library District branches in Albion, Colfax, Colton, Endicott, Garfield, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia, Tekoa and Uniontown, and;
• Yakima Valley Libraries in Moxee, Sunnyside, White Swan and Yakima.

The State Library is partnering with NoaNet and the state Department of Information Services on a second BTOP application that will be submitted later in March.

The State Library, a division of the Office of Secretary of State, provides leadership and coordination of services to all libraries throughout Washington.

NoaNet, a nonprofit mutual corporation based in Tacoma, provides wholesale telecommunications transport. It operates a public open-access broadband communication network totaling more than 1,500 fiber miles that provides rural areas with access to broadband services. NoaNet has been serving wholesale customers in Washington since 2000.

See this and other news releases on the OSOS “About the Office” page.

Ocoee Middle School in Florida put together an amazing video tribute to reading, based on the Black Eyed Peas / Oprah flash mob event in Chicago. Something inspiring for your Friday morning!

There’s been a lot of buzz the past week about a new book that was just published. Marilyn Johnson’s book, This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, has been getting a lot of press (and that’s a good thing for all of us). In the book, Johnson argues that librarians remain essential, even in the Google age (especially in the Google age?), but also remain underappreciated.

That’s not news for many of us, I’m sure, but her book abounds with examples of how librarians are helpful, hip, and breaking new ground every day in how they serve their communities. A recent Salon.com article cites that Johnson:

“… delights in refuting our assumptions about librarians, while making a rock-solid case for their indispensability at a time when library systems are losing an average of 50 librarians per year. Who else is going to help us formulate the questions Google doesn’t understand, or show non-English speakers how to apply for jobs online, or sympathize with your need to research the ancient origins of cockfighting? Librarians, Johnson argues, are one of our most underappreciated natural resources.”

Johnson was interviewed for the radio show On the Media, which was released on February 19th. You can listen to the full interview below (6m:09s):

There have also been excellent stories and interviews via the NJ Star-Ledger and Library Journal (which has video clips!).

Marilyn Johnson has her own website at http://marilynjohnson.net, and the book has its own site: http://www.thisbookisoverdue.com/. You may also find the book at your local library via WorldCat.

Those of us in libraries know that librarians are amazing; hopefully this book will help get the word out to the rest of the world.

I’m pleased to announce that the Statewide Database Trials for February – April 2010 are now available. Trials will run through April 30, providing about ten weeks to check out some interesting resources.

This batch of trials focuses on resources that support Washington’s social studies Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs), and includes some great information on U.S. history, civics, government, and a ton of primary source research material.

Check them out at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/Trials10a.

Please remember when checking out these resources to take the time to fill out an Interest Form on those products you’d like to learn more about. By filling out these forms you also make it possible for us to arrange group purchases on products of interest and potentially save money for participating libraries. The interest form can be found at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/Trials10IF.

Please remember that Washington’s statewide databases trials are for library staff only, and are not meant to be made available to the public. I hope that you enjoy trying out these fun products, and as always, I’d love to hear from you for suggestions on future products or on how to improve the statewide database trial process.