|
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:34 1997
From: "Aarene X. Storms" <astorms@cob.org>
ubject: re:Patron-friendly signage
At the North Seattle Community College there is a sign on the desk which
reads in very bold print:
"BOTHER ME."
I laughed, and asked my question. The woman at the desk laughed at me
laughing, and answered it. Not a bad approach, I thought--maybe not
"professional," but who's to say that beginning a conversation with
smiles
is a bad thing?
Just MHO, of course.
--Aarene Storms
Bellingham Public Library
Bellingham, WA
astorms@cob.org
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:36 1997
From: "Justine Karmozyn" <jkarmozy@cwmarsmail.cwmars.org>
Subject: Re: Young Adult Program Successes
Some successful Young Adult ideas:
*YA newsletter written by and for teens
*Volunteer program
*Advisory Group - informal monthly meetings to discuss ideas for
programming, book, music and video ordering...
*Enrichment programs - video game swaps, afterschool booktalks, guest
speakers, baseball card or comic trading...
Young Adult Librarian
Milford Town Library
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:46 1997
From: carolr@ci.hillsboro.or.us
Subject: RE: Library services to homeless families
Due to a very costly, bad track record, our library no longer allows
people living in local shelters of any kind to check out library
materials. Instead they may take any of the uncataloged paperback
collections; however, these selections are often picked over and
minimal.
I got frustrated with trying to serve both the battered women's shelter
and the homeless family shelter which are both nearby, and used some
grant money to place deposit collections for children in both shelters,
in cooperation with our Community Action Organization. Each book has a
label saying it's donated to the shelter and inviting residents to visit
the library. Since easy-reader level books are the most frequently
donated by the community, I concentrated on paperback picturebooks,
juvenile novels and a smattering of teen novels.
Carol Reich * carolr@ci.hillsboro.or.us
Head of Youth Services
Hillsboro Public Library
So many books, so little time.
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:36 1997
From: "Kimberly Bears" <kimbat@hotmail.com>
Subject: Children's Librarians
Hi all,
I had to write and speak up about this conversation. I have fought long
and hard for many years (in more than one library) to "prove" that the
Children's Room is just as important (if not more important)to the
library as any of the other departments. Yes, it's true that we seem to
have to work just a little bit harder to prove ourselves in the library
world.
I make it a point to bring up what's new in Children's Services at every
staff meeting! I supply the Director with Children's Room statistics
every month (ranging from how many children (and adults) attend our
programs and how many classes visit the library, to how many reference
questions we answer and how many class collections we put together,
etc.) I fight tooth and nail to make sure we get a fair share of the
budget, and that we are informed on a regular basis of changes in the
adult/reference areas. Statistics seem to really help our cause when it
comes down to dividing the dollars.
I also try to get across to the patrons the importance of the Children's
Room and the Children's Librarian. For example, when a parent signs up
for a Toddler or Preschool Story Hour they receive a copy of the
Children's Room mission statement, along with their schedule for the
story hour session. I find that this helps get the point across that we
are "serious" about what we do...not just having fun...though we all
know how much fun story hour really is.
I try to stay involved in the "profession" part of the job, (ie: not
just in the town library, but on a state-wide committees too.) I think
this shows the director just how much Children's Services means to you
as a person and a professional.
I think this will be a battle that will be fought until the end of time.
You just keep plugging and keep smiling. In the long run, you have to
be happy with the path you've chosen and know in your own heart that you
have done the job to the best of your ability.
Kim Bears
************************************************************
Kim Bears Phone: (603) 432-1127
Head of Children's Services Fax: (603) 437-6610
Leach Library E-mail: kimbat@hotmail.com
276 Mammoth Road
Londonderry, NH 03053
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:36 1997
From: rda@hargray.com (RD Altman)
ubject: Re: best library schools
The University of South Carolina has an excellent children's program.
>Some days ago I asked the question:"Which library schools are truly
>emphasizing children' librarianship?" Here is a summary:
<snip>
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:15:34 1997
From: Tammy Giesking <tammyg@shaman.lvccld.lib.nv.us>
Subject: Re: The meaning of "professional" in services to children and
young
I would also be interested to hear from others regarding what the
educational requirements are for the para-professional positions. In our
district, reference and youth services para-professionals must have a 4
year degree. Responsibilities at the reference desks, storytime
responsibilities, and collection maintenance responsibilities are all the
same. The main differences between the positions is that the
professionals do the book ordering, make staff schedules, and attend
meetings. Is this typical?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Opinions expressed here are strictly my own and do not neccessarily
reflect those of the library district I work for.
Tammy Gieseking, Young Peoples Assistant Librarian
Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110
(702) 453-1180
TammyG@lvccld.lib.nv.us or gieseking@worldnet.att.netq
I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did.
I said I didn't know. -Mark Twain
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:16:55 1997
From: Sarah Hudson <shudson@plcmc.lib.nc.us>
Subject: PC Cdrom Products
We've had trouble printing from the DK encyclopedias. We have the science one,
and its hard to print from.. These are very attractive, but don't give
you adequate information.
I would recommend:
World Book Encyclopedia
Grolier's Encyclopedia
Maps and Facts-but you may not be able to network it. We have it loaded
on one PC
Thanks
Sarah
Sarah Hudson
Information Specialist
Independence Regional Library
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
shudson@plcmc.lib.nc.us
These opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of PLCMC
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:18:19 1997
From: "Hudson, Sarah" <shudson@plcmc.lib.nc.us>
Subject: Why Children's librarians "don't get no respect"
Hello,
I have great respect for what Children's Librarians do, but I have to admit that
I have developed some negative thoughts about Children's Librarians based on
examples I have seen in the past. I know this is wrong of me. Please don't
hate me for being honest. I know that this does not apply to all Children's
Librarians.
Here are some things I have observed in the past:
Children's Librarians talking to everyone as if they were five years old. Having
a condescending attitude towards children and adults.
Children's Librarian falling asleep in staff meetings.
Children's Librarian thinking that childrens' services means only easy/picture
book collection and story hours. Children's Librarians must include services for
older children, including an adequate j fiction and nonfiction collection and
reference services.
Children's Librarians who leave their department unstaffed, expect Adult
Reference to handle the questions, and do not reciprocate.
Children's Librarians who think the Library exists solely for preschool patrons.
Not having the big picture of library services
These are some examples of what NOT to do. I Love Children's Librarians,
I know that my preference is not programming. Thank you all for what you do.
Sarah
Sarah Hudson
Information Specialist
Independence Regional Library
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County
shudson@plcmc.lib.nc.us
Opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of the Library
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:19:12 1997
From: "Lorie J. O'Donnell" <odonnell@borg.com>
Subject: Internet Experiences
Hi everyone,
For a while now, we have been talking about the philosophical and
practical ideas regarding the internet and kids and libraries....
Well, I am on the committee developing our library's new 'net access
policy. (You can see the current policy at the web site listed in my
signature.) We aren't changing any of the philosophy or ideas behind
the policy; rather, we are updating and adjusting wording to allow for
graphical access. Anyways...we, the committee, have to present the
policy to the Board of Trustees for approval.
I would like to bring to the meeting as much information about actual
graphical internet use in public libraries as possible. What
experiences have you, the ones already in the trenches with this
phenomenon, had in your libraries/children's rooms? I'm looking for an
overall picture, but also specifics. I don't just want to hear if there
were problems, but also if there have not been problems.
Please, if you have a minute or two, could you answer a couple of
questions:
1. Do you have graphical internet access for the public?
2. Do you use any filtering software for children?
For all patrons?
3. Have you had any problems/controversy with "information" (pictures)
a patron viewed?
4. What controls do you use, if any, concerning who uses the internet,
and to what extent they use it?
Thank you so much. Please send the responses directly to me, and I will
compile and send to the list. I really appreciate the help.
Lorie
--
**************************************************
Lorie J. O'Donnell
Children's Librarian
Jervis Public Library
Rome, New York
odonnell@borg.com
http://www.borg.com/~odonnell/index.html
"I hope we never lose sight of one thing.
That this was all started by a mouse" Walt Disney
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:20:30 1997
From: ROSS@JCL.LIB.KS.US
Subject: RE: respect for youth services librarians
I forwarded the recent post (I'm sorry I forgot your name!), asking if any of us
have
experienced lack of respect for youth services staff, to two thoughtful
colleagues.
Attached are their responses.
This is a VERY common occurence in CHildren's Librarianship. You just have
to get used to it and tell yourself that you are having LOTS more fun
than the "grown-up" librarians - especially because Children's
Librarians
DO have much more fun! We get to laugh out loud - something adult librarians
never do at the desk. We get to sing - again something adult librarians
never do. We get to play with puppets and cut things with scissors and glue
things. We also get to read much better books than the adults do.
I have moved from being a children's librarian to being an administrator
but I hope my heart has not moved from loving kids and wanting to turn them
on to the joys of reading. Get involved with ALSC (ASsociation for Library
Services to Children) and you can get recognition there. Join PLA and
LAMA - they need children's librarians to help plan programs and to do
publications. Join your state association and become a leader there. If
you look at some of our ALA presidents they come from many backgrounds -
including children's librarianship. And keep insisting to your supervisors
that you want to be included in committees in your library - if you have
good ideas and express them well, then you will be seen as a leader in
your organization. --Jean Hatfield, Johnson County (KS) Library
Well, Dennis, it seems that sometimes people think that if you work with
children,
you
too must be childlike. At one system I worked at, the entry position was
Children's
Librarian. After that, you could "grow up" and become an adult
librarian. Even if
yo
u
were excellent in youth services, you were expected to advance and leave behind
children's librarianship. Many of the people I started with are either no longer
with
the system, or they're branch librarians, who no longer have anything to do with
children's services. I'd say that JCL is a minority in regards to the importance
of
youth services (and in that, we've been very fortunate!). BUt, on the whole, I
think
most libraries just reflect a society in which those that shape the minds of
children
are paid a pittance, while those that head big corporations that can make lots
of $$$
, or those that can entertain us, make the big bucks.
Just my VHO, or course ;->. Debbie McLeod, Johnson County (KS) Library
Dennis Ross, Youth Services, Johnson County Library
ross@jcl.lib.ks.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:20:40 1997
From: bf455@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bonita Kale)
Subject: signs at circ desk
I've been asked to ask about signs at the ropes we're going to put up at
our new circ desk. One sign? Two? "Wait here for next available
clerk?"
"Enter here"? We are just going to have about a six-foot, rope-defined
alley perpendicular to the circ desk (so the people in line face the desk).
What do you all do by way of signs? Do they work?
Bonita
--
Bonita Kale
bf455@cleveland.freenet.edu
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:22:07 1997
From: "James B. Casey" <jimcasey@lib.oak-lawn.il.us>
Subject: Low Status of Children's Librarians
Once upon a time, I found myself having to handle a pre-school
story time for my sick Children's Librarian. As a new public
library director (umpteen years ago), I was confident that reading
to kiddies would be a "piece of cake". Well, I did my best, but
the results weren't pretty. It was among the first indications
I ever had that my knowledge gap about children's services was
more on the order of a canyon. I have been striving to bridge
that gap ever since.
Children's programming requires meticulous preparation since the
clientele need far more direction and guidance than adults or YAs.
Many of the children's librarians I have known have been much more
meticulous and orderly than librarians who interact with adults.
The logistical pressures are often greater given problems of
unattended and unruly children, floods of youngsters after schools
and school libraries close in the mid afternoon, school tours
(announced and otherwise), and surprise homework assignments
from umpteen elementary and middle schools. The literacy ranges
are more varied and complex. The attention spans and interest
levels need to be dealt with and planned for very carefully in
programming. Reference services in Children's Departments are
under greater pressure since k-8 school libraries (if they even
exist at all) don't function after classes let out in support of
homework and study. The 12 month year of children's librarians
in public libraries invariably includes a busy Summer Reading
Program which represents, in itself, a monumental amount of
exhausting labor and planning for work with bored and antsy kids
during a period when the k-8 schools are closed for the Summer.
The problems facing children's librarians in public libraries
are truly daunting. -- It isn't the stuff of fluff!
James B. Casey -- My own views as a public library director.
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:25:23 1997
From: andrew or anne <paradis@jorsm.com>
ubject: Re: The meaning of "professional" in services to children and
>From: "Allison Ho" <HO@slais.ubc.ca>
>Subject: The meaning of "professional" in services to children and
young
>What does it mean to be a "professional" in providing children's
and
>youth services? Why do you feel it is important that the providers
>of programming, collection development etcetera be library
>professionals?
>
>
I would say one strong indicator is that you are on this list. *I* am on
this list- at home- on my own time, that would be another indicator. Of
course, many parts of our job can be and should be, learned on-the-job. It
helped for me, that I worked and went to school for my degree at the same
time, and that my first experience was in NYPL which had a long tradition of
mentoring and also a large and old collection. I feel that this list and
others can serve as a source of advice and mentoring for new librarians. I
think, (my husband and I have discussed this) that the degree offers the
opportunity to see the larger picture, to understand the history of the
field, and to have some concept of collection building- preserving the past
and present for the future. It is all too easy to get bogged down in
dailiness- the "housewife" syndrome. One also hopes that a library
degree
carries with it the assurance of at least exposure to the "canon" and
history of the field. One further word- my father said, on the subject of
the value of an undergraduate degree- "It proves you can stick to something
for four years." !
Anne
"`You have no business wearing white to the Middle
Ages,' he'd said, `It will only get dirty.'"
Connie Willis
*Doomsday Book*
Andy or Anne -- Andrew Paradise, Information/Reference Librarian, Medical
Librarian, and Children's Librarian by marriage: Anne Paradise, Children's
Librarian, mystery reader!
Gary Public Library andrew@gary.lib.in.us work
220 West 5th St. paradis@jorsm.com home
Gary, IN 46402 anne@gary.lib.in.us Anne
http://www.jorsm.com/~paradis/
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:27:12 1997
From: druthgo@sonic.net (Dr. Ruth I. Gordon)
ubject: School library funding
I am taking valuable time from games of Solitaire (for too frequently the
school librarian is in a solitary position) to ask all of you, and
especially Councilor James Casey (Ph.D.) to access the "San Francisco
Chronicle" of 25 November 1997. Page A-1 features a delightful article by
Nanette Asimov entitled "Library Shelves in Most State Schools All But
Bare." Facts and figures are provided--and they are dismal. The WEB site
is located at: http://www.sfgate.com
The home page will provide a lead to the story.
By the way, I have always paid my own way and taken vacation days to attend
ALA--even when I was on ALSC Directors' Board, chaired the Newbery
Committee, chaired the Notable Children's Books Committee, etc., etc.
Does Mr. Casey pay his own way--or does his library? Just wondering.
Do read the article--please.
Big Grandma
==================
"You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass
the guilty." Jessica Mitford (1917-1996)
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:28:46 1997
From: "Gale W. Sherman" <gale@poky.srv.net>
ubject: Re: reluctant readers
Bette Ammon and I have a website: Children' Literature Beyonf Basals with a
section about reluctant readers http://www.beyondbasals.com/reluctant.html
Ther are lots of helpful articles and links on this site. (If you happen to
find more, please send us the links!) Our second book on the topic, More
Rip-Roaring REads for Reluctant Teen readers will be published by Libraries
Unlimited next September. We just finished writing it on Sunday!
Gale
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Children's Literature: Beyond Basals
http://www.beyondbasals.html
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Gale W. Sherman / gale@poky.srv.net
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Beyond Basals, Inc. * Early Childhood Librarian
4685 Flora Drive * Marshall Public Library
Pocatello, Idaho 83204 * 113 S. Garfield
* Pocatello, Idaho 83204
PHONE (208) 233-9717 * PHONE (208) 232-1263
FAX (208) 232-3603 * FAX (208) 232-9266
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:29:30 1997
From: Angela Reynolds <ajrcm@teleport.com>
ubject: Board book?R. Wells
Did no one else catch the comment attributed to Rosemary Wells in a recent
post about bilingual board books? That "they should just read English"
comment? Are our childrens authors really THAT insensitive? Wow.
Angela Reynolds
ajrcm@teleport.com
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:29:29 1997
From: Angela Reynolds <ajrcm@teleport.com>
ubject: President Programs
I've had a request from a 5th grade student that I do a program for
school-age
kids featuring Presidents. Their class will be studying the presidents in
Feb, and she thinks that many of the students would come. Any ideas? I'd
like to feature an art project, as that is what the kids in my community
really like, but I'd like to use books too.
If anyone has done something like this, or has any good ideas, I'd
appreciate your wisdom. I will post results to the list.
Happy Thanksgiving, all...
TIA!
Angela Reynolds
West Slope Community Library
Portland, OR
ajrcm@teleport.com
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:30:39 1997
From: Silvia Macor <597014@ican.net>
ubject: Re: treatment of children's librarians
I have worked in children's services since 1986- first as a paraprofessional
(librarian assistant) and then as a librarian. I have found that since then
respect for children's librarians has increased. I used to get the
remarks:"Playing with pape dolls?" when designing nametags or
flannelgraphs.
It also used to be that if you were a children's librarian you stood no
chance of being promoted, but that is changing, too. As some of my
colleagues have pointed out we need to get involved in the organization-
present our points of view, raise issues which concern us and in general be
active. As librarians we need to keep up with technology and become just as
adept at using computers as other staff members. I always make it a point to
read not only children's books but also bestsellers, adult fiction and
non-fiction. As a librarian at a branch library I need to do readers'
advisory on many levels so I have to keep up with all reading materials.
Yes, it is hard work and I often feel that I do the work of two librarians.
But I also think that it is important to know as much as possible about my
profession. I have also found that it is important to share children's books
with other staff members. I make it a point to show my colleagues some of
the books that have made an impression- either good or bad- and ask them
what they think. If we communicate what we do and how well we do it we are
sure to get the respect we seek. And don't forget to point out all the
stacks of children's books that are checked out after each storyhour, if
that doesn't get administrators' attention, nothing else will! Silvia Macor
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:32:10 1997
From: bwilliams@brdgprtpl.lib.ct.us (Bina Williams)
Subject: RE: Kidspeak
Another funny one passed on by our Library Assistant, Kristin, is the =
mother who wanted information on the Soup Indians (which is what her =
kid had written down!) Any relation to those opening casinos? I mean, =
gamblers have to eat too... (A specialty: Clams Casino Chowder!)
BIna Williams
Bridgeport Public Library
----------
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:32:11 1997
From: Andrea Johnson <gadberry@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: Patron-friendly signage
At Urbana Free Library, we call Children's reference the Question Desk.
It seems to make things pretty clear, since even little kids know the word
question.
Andrea Johnson
agadberr@uiuc.edu
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:32:54 1997
From: Dawn Rutherford <rutherfo@chipublib.org>
Subject: Request: holiday songs
Hello everyone,
In a few weeks I am having a friend of mine do a Holiday Family
Sing-A-Long at my library. He is very talented and entertaining and I am
sure the program will go well, but neither of us has planned a program of
this nature before. Has anyone done this? I would like suggestions both
on how you organize something like this (handouts? etc...), and songs you
feel would work well for this sort of program. Based on our particular
neighborhood makeup, Christmas and generic wintery fun songs will probably
be most appropriate. Stuff like Frosty the Snowman is great, for
example.
Quick responses will be appreciated, so my performer can learn any new
ones!
Thanks in advance!
Dawn Rutherford
Children's Librarian
Carl B. Roden Branch
Chicago Public Library
rutherfo@hot-corner.chipublib.org
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:33:43 1997
From: Kirsten Edwards <kirstedw@kcls.org>
Subject: Re: Young Adult Program Successes
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Cindy Riggs wrote:
> I am a student at Emporia State University obtaining my MLS. I am
> currently in a YA class in which my final project involves putting
> together a young adult program. What young adult programs have you
> implemented that would be a sure success? I am also interested because
Dear Cindy:
For what it's worth, nearly ANY program for YAs can be a "sure"
success -
or a roaring bomb. There really aint no such animal as a sure thing.
What guarantees success isn't the program itself - but the buy-in of the
teens. If you've got a group of 8 - 10 teens (maybe more, maybe less,
it depends) who are committed to putting on a program - a dance - a class
- a play - or a late night program like Bruce Greeley's ESCAPE (Burien
Library) - you will have a successful program on your hands.
They will hustle to advertise it - and if you can't get on T.V. or their
favorite rock / rap station - word of mouth is THE best way to market to
this age group. They will come, their friends will come, and they'll all
be pleased and proud about what they've created.
Have fun!
Kirsten Edwards E-mail to kirstedw@kcls.org
Young Adult Librarian Voice: 425-747-3350 (Lake Hills)
Lake Hills, Duvall and Fax: 206-296-5063 (Lake Hills)
Skykomish Libraries
KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM
15228 Lake Hills Boulevard
Bellevue, WA 98007
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:34:51 1997
From: Kirsten Edwards <kirstedw@kcls.org>
Subject: Re: The meaning of "professional" in services to children and
young
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Maureen Kilmurray wrote:
(Much snipped - re: status of "professional" Librarians vs.
"para-
professional L.A.s)
> Assistants. There is an administrative prospective that LA's can do the
> job just as well. Have other libraries experienced a similiar
> prospecitve??? How do you address the issue?? How do you divide off (and
> on) desk responsibilities between professional and para-professional
staff???
>
For what it's worth, those L.A.s *can* do the job just as well as the
librarians IFF - they have the same knowledge base: Child reading
development - reference - cataloging/organization - philosophy of library
service and freedom of access. What undermines any argument [against
using L.A.s in place of librarians] is that quite a few of them do!
And even more think they do, and come close.
What I would like to see, is not our professional organization promoting
& protecting the soi-disant "accredited" library schools (which if
Ms.
Chelton is correct, are going to the dogs anyway), but hustling to promote
and maintain nationwide library board exams. Like law or medical boards,
if you pass them, you can call yourself a professional and practice
librarianship. As a nifty follow-through, schools that prepare their
students to pass - well - whether they call themselves "Information
Science Academies" of the School of Library La-La-Land, won't really
matter will it, if their students can't pass the children's/youth services
(or any other) portion of the exam now will it?
Of course, I'm not holding my breath. This is ALA we're talking about
after all...
Kirsten Edwards
kirstedw@kcls.org
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:45:48 1997
From: "Michelle Lopez" <mlopez@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
ubject: Re: fake tattoos
A good supplier for tatoos and other fun novelty items is a company called
Smilemakers.
The have tons of items and their prices are reasonable. You can contact
Smilemakers at:
1 (800) 825-8085
Good Luck,
Michelle Lopez
----------
>
> I's like to give out fake tattoos to the YA's at our new library's
> grnad opening. Does anyone know a supplier?
>
> The grand opening is in January, so if you do let me know soon!
>
> You can email me directly at jd663@cleveland.freenet.edu
>
> Thanks!
>
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 22:46:09 1997
From: "Michelle Lopez" <mlopez@suffolk.lib.ny.us>
ubject: Re: Treatment of Children's librarians responses
To all:
Thank you for replying to my question on the treatment of children's
librarians. It is good to know that I am not alone in my feelings on the
importance of children's librarians and the service they provide to their
community.
Thanks,
Michelle Lopez
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:29:51 1997
From: Martin Rosenzweig <mrosenzw@bryant.edu>
Subject: NAtional Book Award
Does anyone know which book won this year's NAtional Book Award in the
Youth category? Parrot in the Oven won last year.
Thanks
Sue Rosenzweig
mrosenzw@bryant.edu
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:33:47 1997
From: Elise DeGuiseppi <elised@pcl1.pcl.lib.wa.us>
Subject: Stumper--poem
A patron is looking for a poem from the 1930's or '40's that mentions a
"rubber button tree." She thinks it begins something like this:
"As I
went down to Camden town/ I spied a rubber button tree...." Standard
poetry indexes have been checked. Your help is most appreciated.
Elise
elised@pcl.lib.wa.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:33:54 1997
From: Bromann <bromannj@sls.lib.il.us>
Subject: Holidays
Can anyone tell me which holidays are celebrated during December? I
thought someone mentioned a few but I neglected to save the message. I
plan on doing a "Holiday Bingo" for my holiday party and want to
include
as many religions as possible to help educate the children and to include
everyone. I know there is Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Chanukah. I also read
that Ramadan is celebrated around this time, but I have several different
dates. Thanks.
Jennifer Bromann
Head of Youth Services
Prairie Trails Public Library
Burbank, IL
bromannj@sls.lib.il.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:33:54 1997
From: Virginia Cooper <vcooper@mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us>
Subject: Crichton fan
Does anyone have any suggestions of authors/titles to give a seventh
grade boy who loves Michael Crichton? His aunt would like him to read
something with "better vocabulary".
Virginia Cooper
Youth Services Librarian
Henrietta Public Library
vcooper@mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:34:00 1997
From: hunzigel@hhpl.on.ca (Lisa Hunziger)
ubject: Stumper - oceanographer
Hello. We are looking for any info on a series of books that featured a boy
and girl on a ship with their father/uncle who was an oceanographer or
scientist of some sort. This series was read by a patron about 30 - 35
years ago and is probably American. Each book would have the three solving
some mystery. The patron remembers one about a volcano. The stories are
set (probably) in the south Pacific. If anyone can help me, I'd appreciate
it. Thanks in advance. Lisa Hunziger: hunzigel@haltonbe.on.ca.
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:34:07 1997
From: JoniRB@aol.com
Subject: Filtering Software Unconstitutional
A friend of mine forwarded this to me today, and I thought it might be of
interest to you, especially in light of the recent discussion on filtering
software.
Joni Richards Bodart
>>
>>Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 13:22:32 -0600
>>From: Jonathan D. Wallace <jw@bway.net>
>>Subject: BLOCKING SOFTWARE BY PUB LIBRARIES IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
>>
>>PURCHASE OF BLOCKING SOFTWARE BY PUBLIC LIBRARIES IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
>>
>>A Briefing Paper by Jonathan D. Wallace, Esq.
>>jw@bway.net
>>
>>(revised November 9, 1997)
>>
>>The following is intended for use by free speech advocates to oppose
>>the installation of blocking software such as Cyberpatrol, Surfwatch,
>>NetNanny or Cybersitter in public libraries. Permitted uses include
>>basing your own correspondence or documents upon the research
>>presented here, excerpting this document, or presenting it in its
>>entirety to the people you are trying to influence. Please
>>redistribute freely.
>>
>>Jonathan D. Wallace, Esq., is a New York City-based attorney, author
>>and free speech advocate. He is the co-author, with Mark Mangan, of
>>Sex, Laws and Cyberspace (Henry Holt 1996), and with Michael Green
>>of two forthcoming law review articles, "Curing Metaphor
Deficiency:
>>The Internet, The Printing Press and Freedom of Speech" (Seattle
>>University Law Review) and "Anonymity, Democracy and
Cyberspace"
>>(Hofstra Journal of Law and Legislation).
>>
>>Public libraries in Austin, Boston and elsewhere have decided to
>>install blocking software on computers connected to the Internet.
>>Other libraries around the United States are considering purchasing
>>such software. The purpose of this paper is to summarize, for readers
>>who are not themselves attorneys, the legal precedents that establish
>>that the installation of blocking software by public libraries is
>>unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
>>
>>Blocking software is defined as software products published by
>>commercial software publishers which do any of the following: block
>>access to Internet sites listed in an internal database of the
>>product; block access to Internet sites listed in a database
>>maintained external to the product itself; block access to Internet
>>sites which carry certain ratings assigned to those sites by a third
>>party, or which are unrated under such a system; scan the contents of
>>Internet sites which a user seeks to view and block access based on
>>the occurrence of certain words or phrases on those sites. Blocking
>>software products currently on the market include Safesurf, Surfwatch,
>>NetNanny, CyberPatrol and Cybersitter.
>>
>>It has been widely reported recently that these products go far beyond
>>blocking "pornography". In fact, most block sites containing
speech
>>which is clearly First Amendment protected, such as the National
>>Organization for Women site (http://www.now.org), blocked by
>>Cybersitter, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation archive
>>(http://www.eff.org), blocked by CyberPatrol. More information on
>>political and lifestyle sites blocked by these products is available
>>on the Peacefire Web pages , and in The Ethical Spectacle, maintained
>>by the author of this paper. (. (Please note that both of these sites
>>were themselves blocked by Cybersitter for their criticism of the
>>product.)
>>
>>Most advocates of the use of blocking software by libraries have
>>forgotten that the public library is a branch of government, and
>>therefore subject to First Amendment rules which prohibit
>>content-based censorship of speech. These rules apply to the
>>acquisition or the removal of Internet content by a library. Secondly,
>>government rules classifying speech by the acceptability of content
>>(in libraries or elsewhere) are inherently suspect, may not be vague
>>or overbroad, and must conform to existing legal parameters laid out
>>by the Supreme Court. Third, a library may not delegate to a private
>>organization, such as the publisher of blocking software, the
>>discretion to determine what library users may see. Fourth, forcing
>>patrons to ask a librarian to turn off blocking software has a
>>chilling effect under the First Amendment. These points are each
>>discussed at greater length, with citations to significant cases,
>>below.
>>
>>I. The Pico Case Bans The Use of Blocking Software in Libraries
>>
>>In the leading case of Island Trees Board of Education v. Pico, 457
>>U.S. 853 (1982), the local board ordered removal from the school
>>library of books including Bernard Malamud's The Fixer and Richard
>>Wright's Black Boy. The Supreme Court held:
>>
>> Our Constitution does not permit the official suppression of
>> ideas.... In brief, we hold that local school boards may not remove
>> books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the
>> ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to
>> "prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism,
>> religion, or other matters of opinion.".... Such purposes stand
>> inescapably condemned by our precedents.
>>
>>
>>
>>Although Pico dealt expressly with the removal of books, it governs
>>the use of blocking software for two reasons. First, blocking a Web
>>site is analogous to removing a book. Second, Pico strongly implies
>>that even the acquisition of books must be carried out according to
>>certain standards imposed by the First Amendment. Therefore, whether
>>you compare blocking Internet sites to removing books from the library
>>or simply failing to acquire them, Pico suggests that the blocking of
>>First Amendment-protected Internet content is illegal.
>>
>>i. The installation of blocking software by libraries constitutes an
>>unconstitutional removal of materials from the library.
>>
>>The blocking of a web site is analogous to the removal of a book from
>>a shelf.
>>
>>A library installing computers with full Internet access has, in
>>effect, acquired the entire contents of the Internet. Blocking
>>software which screens out sites based on their inclusion in a
>>database of impermissible sites, or blocks them based on the
>>occurrence of banned words or phrases, is effectively removing these
>>resources from the library. Just as the board of education did in
>>Pico, someone has gone through a thought process which resulted in the
>>removal of materials based on their disfavored content.
>>
>>A court scrutinizing the constitutionality of blocking software in
>>public libraries will certainly look closely at the process a software
>>publisher follows in deciding to add a site to the blocked list. A
>>site may be scanned for keywords by a software "spider" and
then
>>reviewed by a human being, or a human being may look at the site as a
>>matter of first instance after hearing about it from another source or
>>finding it in a search engine. In either case, the person reviewing
>>the page is likely to be a low-compensated or part-time worker who
>>spends only a few moments looking at a particular page before adding
>>it to the blocked list. This accounts for the blocking by every
>>available product of numerous pages pertaining to freedom of speech,
>>AIDs, safe sex and other matters, as the presence of a keyword like
>>"sex", "condoms", "gay" or
"pornography" on a Web page is usually
>>sufficient to cause it to be added to the blocked list.
>>
>>The thought process followed by the worker deciding to add a site to
>>the blocked list bears no resemblance to that of a trained
>>professional, the librarian, deciding to acquire a book for the
>>library. It is, however, identical to the thought process of a harried
>>censor rapidly scanning a printed work for suspect words or phrases,
>>without taking the time to understand the work or place the suspect
>>terms in context.
>>
>>Therefore, the installation of blocking software in a public library
>>directly violates Pico's ban on the content-based removal of works
>>from the library.
>>
>>ii. Pico also implies that the First Amendment governs the acquisition
>>of content by the library.
>>
>>The pro-blocking forces rely on the Court's statement in Pico that:
>>
>> As noted earlier, nothing in our decision today affects in any way
>> the discretion of a local school board to choose books to add to the
>> libraries of their schools. Because we are concerned in this case
>> with the suppression of ideas, our holding today affects only the
>> discretion to remove books.
>>
>>
>>
>>Advocates of blocking argue that a library has no legal obligation to
>>buy any particular book or to allow the viewing of any particular Web
>>site. However, this reliance on Pico is misplaced. In limiting its
>>decision to the facts before it, the Court was clearly not holding
>>that a librarian could legally follow any imaginable agenda in the
>>selection of books for acquisition.
>>
>>For example, it would not be constitutional for a public librarian to
>>refuse to purchase anything by Malamud or Wright, based on the
>>concerns of the Pico schoolboard. Similarly, a public librarian could
>>not decide only to purchase books approved by the Christian Coalition.
>>
>>
>>Pico's subtext is that only the librarian, and not anyone else, should
>>decide what the library is to offer, and that the librarian is
>>expected to do so pursuant to the standards of his or her profession.
>>When a library installs blocking software, it chooses to exclude First
>>Amendment-protected, socially valuable sites based on the obscure
>>criteria or political agenda of the blocking software publisher. This
>>point is further discussed in the next two sections.
>>
>>II. The Criteria Used By Blocking Product Publishers Are Vague and
>>Overbroad and May Not Legally Be Adopted by Public Libraries
>>
>>While certain speech, such as obscenity, is considered outside the
>>protection of the First Amendment and can be barred at will, the
>>Constitution provides significant barriers to rules pertaining to
>>protected speech. When a library installs blocking software, it is
>>enforcing a set of rules determining which protected speech its users
>>can access . These rules are inherently suspect under First Amendment
>>principles and are likely to be held unconstitutional. In general,
>>government rules regulating protected speech must be narrowly tailored
>>to serve a compelling government interest. Rules that are overbroad or
>>vague, and which attack too much speech, will almost inevitably fail.
>>
>>There is a certain irony in the failure of many commentators to draw
>>the appropriate parallel between last June's ACLU v. Reno, 929 F.
>>Supp. 824 (E.D. Pa. 1996) , aff'd __ U.S. ____ (1997), decision
>>holding the Communications Decency Act (CDA) unconstitutional, and
>>today's library controversy. The CDA banned speech on the Internet
>>"depicting or describing" sexual "acts or organs",
even if that speech
>>otherwise had significant social value. A panel of three federal
>>judges held the CDA to be overbroad, in that it would ban much
>>valuable speech online. The examples given by the court included
>>newsworthy reporting of female genital circumcision in Africa, and the
>>dissemination of safe sex information. Advocates of the use of
>>blocking software by libraries have failed to explain why, if the
>>government could not directly ban the National Organization for Women
>>pages via the CDA, it can do so indirectly through the use of blocking
>>software.
>>
>>While the court referenced blocking software as a less restrictive
>>alternative to government censorship, it did not mean use of blocking
>>software by the government. It meant that a concerned parent could
>>install a blocking product on a home computer (a clearly
>>constitutional use, as there is no government action involved)
>>obviating the need for laws banning content on the Internet. The court
>>did not consider the use of blocking software by libraries. It did,
>>however, decline to endorse the government's suggestion that an
"-L18"
>>rating scheme be mandated for all speech on the Net. A public
>>library's installation of blocking software in effect circumvents the
>>ACLU v. Reno ruling, by creating a customized Communications Decency
>>Act applicable to the library's users.
>>
>>It is a constant of First Amendment cases that speech rules, in order
>>to be constitutionally acceptable, must be clear enough to communicate
>>to citizens which speech is legal and which is not. There is no
>>consistent set of standards followed by blocking products, and almost
>>all of the publishers refuse to disclose their database of blocked
>>sites. Several have published the rules they follow in determining
>>which sites to block; here is one example:
>>
>>"CYBERsitter Site Blocking Policies
>>
>>The CYBERsitter filter may block web sites and/or news groups that
>>contain information that meets any of the following criteria not
>>deemed suitable for pre-teen aged children by a general consensus of
>>reports and comments received from our registered user
>>
>>- Adult and Mature subject matter of a sexual nature.
>>
>>- Pornography or adult oriented graphics.
>>
>>- Drugs or alcohol.
>>
>>- Illegal activities.
>>
>>- Gross depictions or mayhem.
>>
>>- Violence or anarchy.
>>
>>- Hate groups.
>>
>>- Racist groups.
>>
>>- Anti-semitic groups.
>>
>>- Advocating of intolerance.
>>
>>- Computer hacking.
>>
>>- Advocating violation of copyright laws.
>>
>>- Any site that publishes information interfering with the legal
>>rights and obligations of a parent or our customers.
>>
>>- Any site maintaining links to other sites containing any of the
>>above content.
>>
>>- Any domain hosting more than one site containing any of the above
>>content.
>>
>>The above criteria is subject to change without notice."
>>
>>These criteria, if adopted by government to determine which speech to
>>ban, would be struck down as unconstitutional just as quickly as a
>>civil liberties organization could race into court and get a decision.
>>These criteria as written ban speech about the listed items, in most
>>cases even if the speech opposes the subject matter. For example, the
>>ban on information about "drugs or alcohol" is so broadly
written as
>>to include sites maintained by anti-drug organizations or by
>>Alcoholics Anonymous. Note that almost all of the criteria pertain to
>>speech that, though disfavored by most people, is clearly
>>constitutionally protected, and may legitimately be the subject of a
>>child's research project: hate speech, speech about intolerance, and
>>speech about illegal activities are three examples. None of the
>>criteria make any exception for materials with social value. Thus the
>>criteria would not permit a teenager to research a report about the
>>Holocaust, which might fall under the ban on "gross depictions or
>>mayhem", antisemitism or hate speech. If this seems unlikely, it
>>isn't; CyberPatrol at one point blocked Nizkor, an important Holocaust
>>archive, because it contained "hate speech." In fact, the
criteria
>>made available by every publisher of blocking software are
>>equivalently vague. As the Supreme Court said in a leading case
>>involving a Dallas movie rating scheme, " the restrictions imposed
>>cannot be so vague as to set 'the censor....adrift upon a boundless
>>sea...' In short, as Justice Frankfurter said, 'Legislation must not
>>be so vague, the language so loose, as to leave to those who have to
>>apply it too wide a discretion.'" Interstate Circuit v. Dallas, 390
>>U.S. 676 (1968).
>>
>>In summary, the criteria followed by every existing blocking product
>>are far too vague and broad to meet the exacting standards of ACLU v.
>>Reno and decades of Supreme Court precedents, even if the library had
>>adopted these criteria itself. As we will see in the next section, the
>>delegation by the library of its decision-making to private
>>parties--the publishers of blocking software--is also
>>unconstitutional.
>>
>>III. A Library Cannot Relegate to Private Parties The Authority to
>>Determine What Its Users Can See
>>
>>Although the installation of blocking software by a library may be a
>>politically expedient solution, it involves an illegal delegation of
>>the library's authority to third parties. Since the library itself, as
>>we established in the section above, could not validly enforce vague
>>rules, it does not avoid the exacting requirements of the First
>>Amendment by abdicating responsibility to the blocking software
>>publisher.
>>
>>For example, federal courts have established that government cannot
>>enact laws granting legal enforcement to the private ratings of the
>>Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). In MPAA v. Spector, 315
>>F.Supp. 824 (ED Pa. 1970), the court dealt with a Pennsylvania law
>>making it a crime to permit a child to see a movie rated "R"
or "X"
>>under the MPAA scheme. The court held the law unconstitutional:
>>
>> The evidence clearly established that the Code and Rating
>> Administration of the Association has itself no defined standards or
>> criteria against which to measure its ratings. ...[I]t is manifest
>> from a reading of Act No. 100 that, however well-intended, it is so
>> patently vague and lacking in any ascertainable standards and so
>> infringes upon the plaintiffs' rights to freedom of expression, as
>> protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Federal
>> Constitution, as to render it unconstitutional....[T]the attempted
>> recourse to Association ratings is of no avail.
>>
>>
>>
>>Other federal courts have agreed that " it is well-established that
>>the Motion Picture ratings may not be used as a standard for a
>>determination of constitutional status", Swope v. Lubbers, 560
F.Supp.
>>1328 (W.D. Mich. 1983). As one judge tartly observed in Engdahl v.
>>Kenosha, 317 F.Supp. 1133 (E.D. Wis. 1970):
>>
>> This determination as to what is proper for minors in Kenosha is
>> made by a private agency, the Motion Picture Association of America.
>> It was conceded at the hearing upon the present motion that if the
>> Motion Picture Association utilized any standards whatsoever in
>> reaching its judgments as to what is an 'adult' movie, the
>> defendants are not aware of what these standards are.
>>
>>
>>
>>Similarly, most public libraries buying blocking software will do so
>>with only a vague awareness, at best, of the standards (if any)
>>followed by the software publisher.
>>
>>Under these clear legal precedents, a library cannot block its users
>>from accessing Internet sites based upon a vague or undisclosed set of
>>standards implemented by the publisher of the blocking software.
>>
>>IV. Requiring a Patron To Ask The Librarian To Turn Off Blocking
>>Software Causes an Unconstitutional Chilling Effect
>>
>>Some blocking software allows the user to turn off particular
>>categories of blocking, or to permit access selectively to blocked
>>sites. Pro-blocking advocates argue that even when a product blocks a
>>site erroneously, no harm is done, as the library user can request
>>that the librarian grant access to it.
>>
>>This argument ignores significant Supreme Court precedents which hold
>>that forcing someone who wishes to read controversial speech to
>>request access to it chills the dissemination of such speech and is
>>therefore is a violation of the First Amendment.
>>
>>In the case of Lamont v. Postmaster General 381 U.S. 301, 85 S.Ct.
>>1493 (1965), the Supreme Court invalidated section 305(a) of the
>>Postal Service and Federal Employees Salary Act of 1962, 76 Stat. 840,
>>which required postal patrons receiving "communist political
>>propaganda" to specifically authorize the delivery of each such
piece
>>of mail. The Court found the Act to be unconstitutional "because it
>>require[d] an official act (viz., returning the reply card) as a
>>limitation on the unfettered exercise of the addressee's First
>>Amendment rights." Id., at 304, 85 S.Ct. at 1495. The Court
recognized
>>the chilling effect such legislation would have on the exercise of
>>freedom of expression by postal patrons, who may become dissuaded from
>>accessing socially disfavored media:
>>
>> This requirement is almost certain to have a deterrent effect,
>> especially as respects those who have sensitive positions. Their
>> livelihood may be dependent on a security clearance. Public
>> officials like schoolteachers who have no tenure might think they
>> would invite disaster if they read what the Federal Government says
>> contains the seeds of treason. Apart from them, any addressee is
>> likely to feel some inhibition in sending for literature which
>> federal officials have condemned as 'communist political
>> propaganda.' The regime of this Act is at war with the 'uninhibited,
>> robust, and wide-open' debate and discussion that are contemplated
>> by the First Amendment.
>>
>>
>>
>>Justices Brennan and Goldberg, in a concurring opinion, said that
>>"[T]he right to receive publications is....a fundamental right. The
>>dissemination of ideas can accomplish nothing if otherwise willing
>>addressees are not free to receive and consider them."
>>
>>More recently, the Court was asked to decide a similar issue related
>>to cable programming, in Denver Area Educational Telecommunications
>>Consortium v. FCC, 116 S.Ct. 2374 (1996). In question was the
>>constitutionality of section 10(b) of the Cable Television Consumer
>>Protection and Competition Act of 1992, 106 Stat. 1486, 47 U.S.C. ''
>>532(h), 532(j), which required cable providers to segregate and block
>>indecent programming, sending it only to subscribers who requested it
>>in writing. The Court found that the section was overly restrictive,
>>"'sacrificing' important First Amendment interests for too
>>'speculative a gain.'" The Court found that the "written
notice"
>>requirement would discourage viewers concerned with their reputations
>>from accessing such channels for fear that their names might be
>>disclosed to others.
>>
>>Requiring librarians to drop what they are doing and unblock a site
>>for a user is also an imposition on them. In Denver, the Court noted
>>that the segregate and block requirement imposed "added costs and
>>burdens....upon a cable system operator", encouraging the latter to
>>ban the speech entirely to avoid the burden of unblocking it.
>>
>>Conclusion
>>
>>The installation of blocking software by a public library is clearly
>>unconstititutional under relevant First Amendment case law.
>>
>>Please contact Jonathan Wallace at jw@bway.net with any comments or
>>questions. For more information and for updated copies of this
>>document, check the Censorware page.
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:34:14 1997
From: "Robin L. Gibson" <gibsonro@oplin.lib.oh.us>
Subject: Stumper: witch series
I need to call upon your collective wisdom; I have a patron who remembers
a series about a witch with an unusual name. A mother and son move into a
house and discover the witch in the chimney. They later start a tea shop.
The old witch is always getting into mischief, and her favorite
expressions are "Drat!" and "Frog's knees" This all sounds
really
familiar, but I'm drawing a blank right now. I've checked A to Zoo, but
nothing looked particularly likely. It's also not DeLages' Old Witch
series.
Thanks much!
Robin
*******************************************
Robin L. Gibson
Children's Librarian
Muskingum Co. Library System
Zanesville, OH
gibsonro@mail.oplin.lib.oh.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:34:16 1997
From: mchelton@cadvantage.com (marykchelton)
ubject: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LITERACY STUDY UNDERWAY; INPUT REQUESTED
>Approved-By: GWHITNEY@UTKUX.UTCC.UTK.EDU
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Approved-By: Lani Heilman <heilmanl@IWAYNET.NET>
>Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 22:09:42 -0500
>Reply-To: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <JESSE@UTKVM1.UTK.EDU>
>Sender: Open Lib/Info Sci Education Forum <JESSE@UTKVM1.UTK.EDU>
>From: Lani Heilman <heilmanl@iwaynet.net>
>Subject: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LITERACY STUDY UNDERWAY; INPUT REQUESTED
>To: Multiple recipients of list JESSE <JESSE@UTKVM1.UTK.EDU>
>Status:
>
>The ALA Washington Office and Office for Information Technology
>Policy have been asked to distribute the attached request and to
>identify individuals within the library community who are
>particularly well-qualified to provide knowledgeable and
>thoughtful answers to the questions below on information
>technology literacy.
>
>The library community is particularly well positioned to provide
>input on this project being conducted by the Computer Science and
>Telecommunications Board of the National Research Council. The
>NRC was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to
>associate the broad community of science and technology with the
>Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the
>federal government.
>
>Your help is needed to (1) redistribute this message and
>attachment to all appropriate library listserves; and (2) please
>forward immediately names, addresses, phone, fax, and e-mail
>contacts of persons especially well-qualified to answer these
>questions, and perhaps participate further in this project, to
>Carol Henderson at the ALA Washington Office, cch@alawash.org or
>fax to 202-628-8419. You may also, of course, recommend names to
>the director of the study. Please note the December 15 and
>February 2 deadlines in the attachment.
>_________________________________________________________________
>
>PLEASE POST WIDELY...
>
>The Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) of the
>National Research Council is undertaking a project to explicate
>the various dimensions of what might be called information
>technology (IT) literacy, i.e., what everyone needs to know about
>information technology. A major part of the project's task is to
>develop a consensus for the appropriate definitions of everyone,
>know, and information technology.
>
>The committee responsible for this project is chaired by Larry
>Snyder, professor of computer science and engineering at the
>University of Washington -- the full membership of the committee
>is attached to the end of this note.
>
>Because the subject of IT literacy is subject to many differing
>opinions, the committee has developed a number of questions for
>which it hopes to generate a broad response. The set of
>questions below has been developed for information management and
>information retrieval professionals.
>
>1 -- In an online information community, what should every
>citizen know about information technology in order to make
>effective use of the capabilities it enables? Please describe
>each element of this knowledge (e.g., how to perform a net
>search, how to understand its results) and briefly say why you
>believe this is important. For each element, suggest what about
>it you believe should be taught at what grade levels.
>
>2 -- Two particularly important examples of new capabilities are
>those of information searching and information presentation.
>What are the basic principles that guide an effective search or
>presentation? At what level should these principles be taught?
>How should people learn about the limitations of searches and
>presentations?
>
>3 -- What learning experiences do students need to obtain the
>skills and knowledge described in answer to Questions 1 and 2?
>(Learning experiences can include both in-school and
>out-of-school activities.) Please be specific, using examples
>from your own teaching if possible.
>
>4 -- What technological environment (computers, networks,
>software, resources, etc.) is needed to support the learning
>experiences described in Question 3?
>
>The committee invites you to submit your answers to these
>questions in the form of a short position paper (5 pages or
>less); in addition, please identify your field of expertise and
>your institutional affiliation. All responses will be considered
>by the committee. In addition, respondents may be invited to
>participate in a workshop to be held in Irvine, California on
>January 14-15, 1998 whose purpose is to discuss answers to
>these and other related questions. Or, they may be invited to
>revise their position paper for inclusion in the committee's
>final report.
>
>DEADLINES:
>-December 15, 1997, for those who wish to be considered for
>participation in the workshop.
>
>-February 1, 1998 for those who wish their input to be considered
>by the committee.
>
>E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR INPUT: IT-Lit@nas.edu
>FAX FOR INPUT: 202-334-2318
>U.S. MAIL ADDRESS FOR INPUT:
>Dr. Herb Lin, Study Director
>CSTB
>National Research Council
>Room HA-560
>2101 Constitution Ave, NW
>Washington, DC 20418
>202-334-3191 voice
>
>COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
>Lawrence Snyder, Chair, University of Washington
>Alfred V. Aho, Columbia University
>Marcia C. Linn, University of California, Berkeley
>Arnold H. Packer, Johns Hopkins University
>Allen B. Tucker, Jr., Bowdoin College
>Jeffrey D. Ullman, Stanford University
>Andries van Dam, Brown University
>
******************************************************************************
Mary K. Chelton, MLS, PhD
Assistant Professor
School of Library and Information Management
Emporia State University
1200 Commercial
Emporia, KS 66801
phone: (316) 341-5071 work
(316)342-9277 home
fax: (316) 342-6391 home
e-mail: mchelton@cadvantage.com
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:44:52 1997
From: "Jane M. Whiteside" <jmwhiteside@starbase1.htls.lib.il.us>
Subject: Stumper: horse and girl
We have a patron looking for a story about a horse and a girl who works in
a castle. The girl is separated from the horse for awhile and then finds
him again. It may be part of a series. That's all we have to go on?
Does this ring a bell? Thanks in advance.
Jane M. Whiteside
Head of Children's Services
Fountaindale Public Library District
Bolingbrook, IL
jmwhiteside@starbase1.htls.lib.il.us
---------------------
From owner-pubyac@nysernet.org Thu Nov 27 23:59:52 1997
From: Elizabeth Hallaron <ehallaro@nslsilus.org>
ubject: Stumper: Reindeer food Poem
Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!
I am posting this for another librarian, who doesn't have email. She is
looking for a poem to use with a storytime. She learned about it a
Storytelling league, but we have not been able to find it. It is a short
poem that is given out with "reindeer food" for the children to
sprinkle
on their lawns on Christmas Eve. She need this ASAP. Her program is
Tuesday. Sorry, I just learned about it. Thank you all for the help.
From: Elizabeth Hallaron <ehallaro@nslsilus.ORG>
---------------------
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