November 2007

In this aliaPUBNEWS broadcast:

International
New Stockholm Public Library; Return on Investment Calculators; To Read or Not to Read; The Future of Reading; National Library of Australia to add records to WorldCat; Survey Sample Size Calculator

National
Web 2.0 - Paul Reynolds Presentation; New State Library Building Celebrates a Successful First Year

States and territories
2007 Community Relations Commission Awards for Volunteering (NSW)

News from ALIA
ALIA 2008 Biennial Conference – Call for Papers open; Christmas shopping: ALIA book journals and shopping bag; Library Lovers Day – 14 February 2008; National Simultaneous Storytime 2008 – Wednesday 21 May 2008; Call for Nominations for ALIA Board of Directors; Regional Telecommunications Review; ALIA's 70th anniversary life membership deal - ends 31 Dec 2007; Beyond the hype: Web 2.0 - Call for abstracts and registrations; Summer Reading Club - 1 December 2007 to 13 February 2008; inCite theme for Jan/Feb 2008 issue: Services to people with disabilities

Awards and Scholarships
2007 Margery C Ramsay Scholarship & Barrett Reid Scholarship; The 2007 Ray Choate Scholarship; Library of people wins national marketing award

ALIA goes green - ALIA Library Resources Directory; International day of people with a disability

Policy and advocacy
ALIA supports the NSW 'Day of Action' on 29 November 2007

Celebrating Libraries and Librarians
Library and Information Week (LIW) - Monday 19 May to Sunday 25 May 2008

Library Blogs
Ten Habits of Incompetent Managers

International

New Stockholm Public Library
Those interested in seeing the winner (and the runners up) of the architectural competition for the new Stockholm public library should click on the link below:
http://www.arkitekt.se/asplund

Return on Investment Calculators
Whether you're a public library manager or a public library user, there is a return on investment (ROI) resource for you. Check out the calculators by clicking the link below. Other resources on the ROI page include individual reports for participating libraries, newspaper articles, and links to other studies.
http://www.lrs.org/public/roi/

To Read or Not to Read
There is a new report on the importance of reading out from the United States called "To read or not to read". It is from the National Endowment of the Arts and is available in PDF format (3.3mb) from:
http://www.arts.gov/research/ToRead.pdf

The Future of Reading
Amazon's Jeff Bezos already built a better bookstore. Now he believes he can improve upon one of humankind's most divine creations: the book itself! Read more at:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/70983

National Library of Australia to add records to WorldCat
There is a new partnership between OCLC and Libraries Australia. The National Library of Australia has agreed to add some 12 million bibliographic records to WorldCat, the world's largest database of catalogued items held in libraries, making these records visible to Web searchers worldwide. Australian libraries will use WorldCat to catalogue, find and share library materials. Note: A recent check of World Cat does not show Australian library holdings other than for the National Library of Australia. For more information see:
http://www.oclc.org/news/releases/200664.htm

Survey Sample Size Calculator
Have you ever needed to know how to calculate a survey sample size or determine a surveys accuracy level? You can use a sample size calculator to determine how many people you need to interview or survey in order to get results that reflect the target population as precisely as needed. You can also find the level of precision you have in an existing sample. The calculator is available to use at:
http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm

National

Web 2.0 - Paul Reynolds Presentation
Join New Zealand based commentator and thinker, Paul Reynolds as he discusses information access, cultural and technological change in the 21st century, and the challenges for libraries and library professionals. Paul Reynolds was recently appointed as Adjunct Director, Digital Library, National Library of New Zealand. He is the co-founder and Joint Managing Director of McGovern Online, a full-service on-line media company who, since 1995, have provided strategy, design and development in the field of new media and Internet to clients in New Zealand, Fiji, and the United Kingdom. This webcast was recorded at the State Library on 25 October 2007. Available in Windows media, Real audio or mp3 formats
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/find/webcasts

New State Library Building Celebrates a Successful First Year
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has congratulated the State Library of Queensland on an exceptional first year in its new building, announcing a special Open Day party on Sunday 25 November. Ms Bligh said the State Library's first birthday in its new building was a day to celebrate. "The State Library has attracted more than one million visitors since re-opening its doors in November last year," Ms Bligh said. "The redevelopment has opened up the entire Cultural Centre to a larger and more diverse audience. This huge growth in visitor numbers demonstrates that our $291 million investment to redevelop the Cultural Centre has paid off. "All of Australia is looking to Queensland and the State Library as leaders after the building was recently awarded the title of 'Australia's Best Public Building 2007' by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. "The Cultural Centre now ranks among the nation's most exciting arts and cultural precincts and is the centrepiece of the state's booming creative sector," said the Premier.
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/about/mlp

States and territories

2007 Community Relations Commission Awards for Volunteering (NSW)
Nominations for the 2007 Community Relations Commission (CRC) Awards for Volunteering are currently open. These annual awards honour those individuals in NSW whose tireless community service has enhanced the cultural and social well-being of their migrant communities. By highlighting the cultural diversity of those undertaking volunteer work, the CRC Awards for Volunteering aim to foster a greater understanding of the value of these contributions to our community. The CRC invites you to nominate individuals within your organisation in recognition of their dedicated service to the community through voluntary work. Please click on the link below for more information and to lodge your nomination on line. Nominations close on Friday 7 December 2007. For further information please contact the Awards Coordinator, Maria José Fernández on (02) 8255 6799, via email at maria.fernandez@crc.nsw.gov.au
http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/sponsorships_and_awards/volunteer_awards

News from ALIA

ALIA 2008 Biennial Conference – Call for Papers open
The ALIA 2008 Biennial Conference will be held in Alice Springs from 2-5 September 2008. The Call for Papers is now open and the deadline for abstract submission is 30 January 2008. Details on the conference themes and paper submission process are located on the conference website. For enquiries about the conference themes, contact the program convenor, Jayshree Mamtora at jayshree.mamtora@cdu.edu.au Video with Fiona O’Loughlin: http://www.alia.org.au/conferences/2008-2009.html
http://www.alia2008.com/

Christmas shopping: ALIA book journals and shopping bag
Here are some great gift ideas for Christmas! Our fabulous book journals would make a wonderful small gift (or stocking filler) for family, friends, clients, staff, book club members etc. And while you are at it, why not buy a few of our bright red shopping bags with @ your library in five languages? The shopping bags are practical and eco-friendly too. Consider using these items as prizes for your Christmas party! Buy conveniently using our online shop.
http://shop.alia.org.au/

Library Lovers Day – 14 February 2008
Make a date with your library! After a very successful event this year, we will be celebrating Library Lovers Day again next year on Thursday 14 February. Get ready for some loving (of our libraries of course). Website details coming soon.

National Simultaneous Storytime 2008 – Wednesday 21 May 2008
NSS first started in 2001 as part of Library and Information Week. The Board of Directors has decided that we will now go back to this format. This decision was also endorsed by the NSS Committee and has regularly been a suggestion in our NSS evaluation feedback. So mark your calendars and diaries with this date. Book and website details will be available in early 2008.

Call for Nominations for ALIA Board of Directors
The Call for Nominations for the ALIA Board of Directors will be in the December inCite. Nomination forms will be available from ALIA National Office or via ALIAnet. Nominations close at 5.00pm AEDT on Friday 1 February 2008.
http://www.alia.org.au/governance/elections/2008

Regional Telecommunications Review
The deadline for submissions to the federal government's Regional Telecommunications Review has been extended until 7 December 2007. ALIA is coordinating a submission from ALIA, NSLA, ASLA, ALLA and SLAV. A copy of this submission will be available on the ALIA website in early December. RTR website: http://www.rtirc.gov.au/ ALIA submissions:
http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/submissions

ALIA's 70th anniversary life membership deal - ends 31 Dec 2007
Love being a member of ALIA, but tired of those pesky renewal notices we send you every year? Thinking about retiring and want to pay a one-off fee for ALIA membership? Consider life membership of ALIA. To celebrate our 70th anniversary [http://www.alia.org.au/alia70/] we are offering a fantastic discount on life membership and this special deal ends on 31 December 2007. To take advantage of this great offer, contact us at membership@alia.org.au.nospam, ring 1800 020 071, or visit:
http://www.alia.org.au/membership.benefits/personal.html

Beyond the hype: Web 2.0 - Call for abstracts and registrations
ALIA is proud to present Beyond the Hype 2008: Web 2.0 from 1-2 February 2008 at the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. Abstract submission deadline is 30 November 2007. Registrations are now open: early bird registration closes 14 December 2007 and full registration closes 18 January 2008. Beyond the Hype 2008 will introduce, discuss and debate issues about Web 2.0, its impact, its usefulness, discussing whether it's of benefit to your library, and possible ways of incorporating it in to libraries. Beyond the Hype website: http://beyondthehype.ning.com
http://www.alia.org.au/groups/quill/beyond.hype.html

Summer Reading Club - 1 December 2007 to 13 February 2008
This year's theme is Superheroes Read. The Summer Reading Club website is now available and is looking fantastic! http://www.summerreadingclub.org.au This program runs throughout the summer and encourages children to keep up their reading during the holidays. Summer reading helps students return to school in the new year ready to learn and with greater reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The program aims include to maintain or even increase library use by children and their families over the summer break, and to create excitement in children about reading for leisure. ALIA SRC website:
http://www.alia.org.au/src/

inCite theme for Jan/Feb 2008 issue: Services to people with disabilities
Contribute to your member magazine! The January/February 2008 inCite theme is 'Services for people with disabilities'. Contributions on this theme or on other issues relating to library and information science are welcome. High resolution images are welcome too. Deadline for January/February 2008 issue is 4 January 2008. http://www.alia.org.au/publishing/incite/ Send your articles or items to the inCite editor at:
incite@alia.org.au.nospam

Awards and Scholarships

2007 Margery C Ramsay Scholarship & Barrett Reid Scholarship
The recipient of the 2007 Margery C Ramsay Scholarship, valued at $15,000, is Lesley Fell, Coordinator of Library Operations at the Monash Public Library Service. Lesley will use her Scholarship to undertake a study tourof public library services in Arizona and Massachusettes that are leadingthe way in planning and implementing programs to meet the needs of the ageing 'Baby Boomers'. The recipient of the Barrett Reid Scholarship, also valued at $15,000, is Pam Howard, Outreach Services Manager at Goldfields Library Corporation. Pam will use her Scholarship to undertake a study tour of library services in the United Kingdom that demonstrate a variety of partnerships and collaborations with other sectors of the community in the delivery of innovative outreach services to both rural and town centres. Pam will also attend the 2008 Liverpool Mobile Library Conference. The Scholarships were presented by the President of the Library Board of Victoria, John Cain, at a function held at the State Library of Victoria.

The 2007 Ray Choate Scholarship
Congratulations to Nicole Johnston who has been awarded the 2007 Ray Choate Scholarship. This biennial award enables the recipient to investigate a particular aspect of reference or information services that can lead to improved practice in the area. Nicole's project How can Instant Messaging improve the reference and information experiences of students in regional areas? aims to investigate the impact of this emerging technology in the provision of reference services to library users in a regional university.
http://www.alia.org.au/awards/choate.scholarship/

Library of people wins national marketing award
A unique project to bring people face to face with their own prejudices has won the Multillon-sponsored Government Award at the National Multicultural Marketing Awards presented in Sydney tonight at a dinner hosted by the Premier and Minister for Citizenship, Morris Iemma. The Lismore City Council's Living Library Project is about bringing together people who are different, one on one, in the same way that readers borrow a book, engage with it and try to understand it. People who have experienced prejudice, negative stereotyping or discrimination put themselves up for borrowing at the regular Living Library days. They wear 'book jackets' and name tags and await the borrowers in separate reading booths. They can be 'borrowed' just like a book and the loan must be registered. All Living Books develop their own catalogue record and book title Congratulating the winners, Stepan Kerkyasharian, the Chair of the Community Relations Commission which has been running the Awards for 18 years, said: "This is a wonderful way of getting people to confront their prejudice by meeting it at a person-to-person level." "I am not surprised that no less than 37 libraries and other organisations around Australia have contacted Lismore City Council seeking information about the Living Library." "Such a project can make a powerful statement to everyone in a community that if you simply take the opportunity to talk to someone different you will discover the difference is very small." "I congratulate the Lismore Library on its success in marketing the idea to the local community that this is a worthwhile and beneficial way of breaking down the suspicion, superiority or prejudice that can lead to discrimination. I am sure the City of Lismore is a happier place because of the Living Library, he said. The project began when the librarians realised that the one place that the city‚s diverse population ranging from Nimbin hippies to indigenous people, refugees, immigrants, retirees, students and gay people could meet each other in a safe, supervised environment was at the Library. The marketing campaign used all the available local outlets for information ˆ including local radio and newspapers, the neighbourhood centres, and the Adult Community College. Local businesses allow displays of Living Library information in their shop windows. The Council's website also drives readers‚ to the library to borrow living books. School children were invited to design a book cover for themselves in the project 'My Life as a Book'. 'This project measures its success not on the number of borrowings, not on the enormous amount of national media interest and coverage but on the response of borrowers to their experience. Evaluation reports indicate that the borrowers‚ assumptions about indigenous people, homosexual people or Muslim people, for example, had been changed in 98% of cases, by engaging with a living book. This must be worthy of an award, Mr Kerkyashasrian said. http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/major_activities/multicultural_marketing_awards/government (link to National Multicultural Marketing Awards) Link to Lismore's Living Libraries site:
http://rtrl.nsw.gov.au/site/index.php?option=com_mycontent&task=view&am

ALIA goes green - ALIA Library Resources Directory
The 2008 Library Resources Directory will be available for members in an online version only on our ALIA website. The online version will be updated regularly and will be in an easily downloadable pdf format. No longer will you have to open the staples of your January/February inCite to extract the middle section. Vendors and suppliers will be contacted in the next couple of weeks to supply a 2008 listing.

International day of people with a disability
Last year many public libraries participated in the International day of people with a disability. It is coming again on 3 December 2007.
http://www.idpwd.com.au/index.asp

Policy and advocacy

ALIA supports the NSW 'Day of Action' on 29 November 2007
ALIA supports the campaign for funding for NSW public libraries and the Day of Action on 29 November. In NSW the funding for public libraries has declined over the past 25 years and the State budget for 2006-07 included a cut of $1,023,000 (4.16%). "Public libraries support all aspects of Australian life", said ALIA President, Roxanne Missingham. "It is critical for Australia's national development that Australians have high quality library services", she said. For more information about the campaign: http://www.plnsw.org.au For the ALIA media release go to:
http://www.alia.org.au/mediaroom

Celebrating Libraries and Librarians

Library and Information Week (LIW) - Monday 19 May to Sunday 25 May 2008
LIW is always held in the last week of May and aims to communicate and promote the tremendous contribution libraries and information services and information professionals make to educate, inform and entertain all Australians. This nation-wide week combines activities, events, contests, product launches and presentations at national, state and local levels. The week also provides the opportunity to publicly canvas issues of importance to the provision of library and information services in Australia. More information and the website for LIW 2008 will be available soon.

Library Blogs

Ten Habits of Incompetent Managers
How do you measure up? See: http://www.librarybytes.com/2007/11/hiring-for-management-competencies-or.html or visit:
http://www.fastcompany.com/resources/talent/heffernan/10-signs-incompetent-

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