ACLD Awarded National Medal for Library Service

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has selected the Alachua County Library District, as one of only ten libraries and museums to receive the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

The Alachua County Library District was nominated for its successful community partnerships, customer focus, expanded services, and diverse programs and events.

“The Library District strongly supports partnerships and we are continuously looking for partnerships that will benefit our community,” said Library Director Shaney T. Livingston. Just recently, we partnered with the John A.H. Murphree Law Library Board of Trustees to transition a professional law library to our Headquarters location. This partnership provides the public expanded evening and weekend hours. We have partnerships with many agencies in the community such as: the Literacy Coalition, Early Learning Coalition, United Way, and the Alachua County School Board to name a few. I believe the library is an important pillar in the community and with the many resources we offer, it only makes sense to partner with others. Through partnerships we can offer the citizens of our community so much more.”

The Library Partnership is an excellent example of working partnerships between the Library District, the Partnership for Strong Families, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Casey Foundation to create under one umbrella a library plus more than 30 social services to serve the needs of this community.

This past year, another successful partnership was formed with the University of Florida’s College of Medicine and the Library District to expand access to primary health care through UF’s Mobile Outreach Clinic. The Mobile Outreach Clinic visits three library locations - Tower Road, High Springs and Headquarters. These additional locations help to expand health care services to the underserved population of Alachua County. The Mobile Outreach Clinic has been well utilized and plans are to add another day to the current schedule.

The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries for extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Recipients must demonstrate innovative approaches to public service and community outreach.

Update from FLA

There's a lot happening with FLA, and I'd like to take the opportunity to update you on a number of FLA activities and plans.

Tomorrow (Oct. 25) the Continuing Education Committee is co-sponsoring a virtual and in-person program on "The Changing Library: Keeping up with public needs and technology with less budget and staff" along with SEFLIN and the Broward County Library Association.  (Information available at http://www.flalib.org/bulletin_board_documents/doing_more_with_less.pdf)

I hope that your library will be participating in  Florida Library Snapshot Day on Nov. 2.  Snapshot Day is part of a national effort sponsored by the American Library Association, and it's a great way to showcase the many things happening in our libraries.  If you haven't already registered, the FLA Public Relations Committee has put all of the information that you need at http://www.flalib.org/snapshot_day_nov_2011.php.

The election of officers and Board members for the coming year is currently underway.  You should have received an e-mail from FLA Executive Director Faye Roberts last week with instructions for voting. Be sure to cast your vote for Vice-President/President-Elect, Treasurer, and 3 Directors before November 16.

The fall 2011 issue of Florida Libraries is on the website now.   Our editor, Maria Gebhardt, has done a beautiful job with the editing and design.  Earlier this year, the FLA Board voted to make the journal open access after a 2-month period in which only members could view the content.  This issue has articles on some innovative activities and services offered by Florida libraries; a day in the life of libraries documented through Twitter; creating screencasting video tutorials; and a partnership between the Panama Canal Museum and the University of Florida.  Be sure to take time to look at it!

Plans are well underway for the 2012 FLA Conference to be held April 18-20 at the Wyndham Resort in Orlando.  The Conference Committee has reviewed program proposals and come up with a recommendation of programs that should appeal to a wide range of interests.  If you didn't submit a program proposal, there will soon be an opportunity to submit a proposal for a poster session.

Library advocacy efforts are ongoing throughout the year, but they intensify during the Legislative session.  This year, the Legislature convenes in January rather than its usual opening in March due to reapportionment.  Library Day will take place on Feb. 1 in Tallahassee, and we hope that a lot of library supporters will come to meet with their legislators on that day.

Workshops for Friends, Foundations and Boards on tax and legal issues for nonprofits have been held in 7 locations around the state in past weeks.  Dr. Rebecca Trammell, Director of the Stetson Law School Library has done a tremendous job in creating and presenting videos on these issues for the workshop series.  The videos are now available on the FLA web site at http://www.flalib.org/friends_found_boards.php

FACRL, the Academic Member Group of FLA, held a very successful fall workshop in Daytona on October 21. The Leadership Development Committee sponsored a program on October 1 at the Clearwater Public Library featuring Ian Woodall speaking on "The Tao of Everest:  The Gentle Art of Personal Inspiration and Practical Leadership."  Earlier in the year, FLA and the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN) held a Mini-Conference in the Panhandle.

FLA is pleased to offer 3 scholarships to students in the graduate library degree program at FSU or USF and a scholarship to students enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or associates program in the state.  Information about the scholarship and applications are available at http://www.flalib.org/scholarships.php .  The deadline for applications is Feb. 1, 2012.

Be thinking about people, libraries, and programs that you'd like to nominate for one of this year's FLA awards.  A list of the awards is on the FLA website at http://www.flalib.org/awards.php and more information about award nominations will be forthcoming.

This is also the time to renew your membership for the coming year.  You can renew online at http://www.flalib.org/membership.php or print out a membership form and mail it in. 

Thank you for being part of this vibrant and vital organization!

Gloria Colvin

President, Florida Library Association

Research Librarian

Strozier Library

Florida State University

116 Honors Way

Tallahassee, FL 32306

(850) 645-1680

gcolvin@fsu.edu

Florida Electronic Library: Phone Interviews

As a Florida librarian who uses the Florida Electronic Library for yourself and to assist library users, we need your help! We invite you to participate in a 15 minute phone interview.  We know your time is valuable, but by taking a brief moment out of your busy schedule to participate in this study, your contribution will benefit Florida librarians’ and library users’ ability to access, use, and understand the resources in the Florida Electronic Library.

This study will produce an analysis of the Florida Electronic Library, its use and users.  This interview includes questions about your favorite Gale databases, your challenges in their use, and your thoughts about how to improve the resource to make you more effective in serving your users. Your participation in this study may help to improve Florida libraries’ ability to provide information and resources to patrons as well as help your patrons better use the information in the Florida Electronic Library.

If you are interested in participating in this research, please contact Laura Spears Brenkus at the Information Institute at ii@ci.fsu.edu for more information and to schedule your phone interview.

Tween Programming Ideas - Cocoa Library

Tween Programming Ideas
Thursday, December 15, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
at Brevard Central Library, 308 Forrest Avenue, Cocoa, FL
(new date: rescheduled from November 10)

Developing programs for children that are caught between childhood and the teen years can be challenging. Tweeners are kids, but they are getting older and they can be an enigmatic mix of enthusiasm, unresponsive indifference and hormonal overload. The blueprint for a successful tween program begins with a great idea. This workshop will be ALL about ideas. We will explore programs in a variety of different subject areas and will have an opportunity to try some of those ideas hands on.

We’ll cover:

What is a tween?
How to structure your program?
Program Ideas by Subject:
   -Art Programs
   -Lit-Based Programs
   -Music Based Programs
   -Personal Development Programs
   -Research Based Programs
   -Tech Programs
   -Trendy Programs
   -Youth Culture Programs
Idea Brainstorming
   -Ideas/Theme Roundtable (Apply Pre-Workshop Assignment)
   -Sample Year Plan
Hands-On Practice and Group Exercise
Tips to Sell Your Program
Extras and Resources

Pre-Workshop Assignment: Do a little research and come up with a program you would like to try for the tween age group and prepare to share.

Trainer: Kio Fuller, Library Consultant

NEFLIN Members: Register now at: http://a3.acteva.com/orderbooking/bookEvent/A312011
Nonmembers may submit a waitlist form until registrations opens up two weeks before the class date
Class is free of charge for all Florida Library staff.

New NEFLIN Members

NEFLIN is pleased to welcome thirteen new libraries to our membership.

Here is some information on each of these new libraries.  The NEFLIN membership now consists of 560 libraries in 24 counties. 

Pretty version, by Patty, with pictures!

NEFLIN Annual Survey - Deadline October 7

Friday, October 7 is the FINAL day to take the NEFLIN Annual Survey. We are collecting information that will help our services and training programs meet your every need and schedule. 


Please help us by completing the 2011 NEFLIN Annual Survey, telling us of your experiences with NEFLIN training and services. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.


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Do you like our online survey tool, ZipSurvey? It is available to NEFLIN members to use for your own surveys, polls, contests and registrations. See more information here, then contact Patty Morris to get started.

Annual Meeting Photos

We had a great time at the NEFLIN Annual Meeting last month.  You can see we had a sports theme.

Team NEFLIN: Another Winning Season!

Here are all the photos from the event.





Board President, Brian Nesselrode.

Brad and keynoter Will Manley relaxing after both spent the day talking to the group.