Congrats to Suzanne Lynch, Beth Gorter, Joan Mouradjian, and Jennifer Robinson on the recognition of their great work.  They really exemplify the wonderful things school librarians are doing across the state!

 

Two More School Librarians Recognized as Teachers of the Year

Even as Position is Valued by Colleagues, Districts are Cutting Staffing and Funding

 

RHODE ISLAND - OCTOBER 27, 2015 - Two more school librarians were named 2015 Teacher of the Year in their districts; Suzanne Lynch of Stony Lane and Forest Park Elementary Schools in North Kingstown and Beth Gorter of Hanaford Elementary in East Greenwich join Joan Mouradjian of Narragansett Middle School in Narragansett and Jennifer Robinson of Thompson Middle School in Newport as honorees this year. In 2014, three other school librarians received the honor. Ironically, four of these seven districts have cut library staffing and/or funding for the current school year:

 

• Coventry: As the district moves to Chromebooks, librarians are being given tech duties, reducing time to teach students library skills. There is no book budget - at the Feinstein Middle School, 2014 Teacher of the Year Susan Murphy’s budget has gone from $7,500 to $0 in just a few years.
• East Greenwich:While positions were spared this year after being on the chopping block, budgets were obliterated. 2015 Teacher of the Year Beth Gorter’s Hanaford Elementary went from $3,000 for collection development last year to $0.
• Newport: 2015 Teacher of the Year Jennifer Robinson has gone from having a half-time assistant librarian and full-time clerk two years ago to being a solo practitioner.
• North Kingstown: Many positions have been chiseled away for the past several years; this year, the Davisville Middle School position was cut from full-time to .6.

 

“The fact that 7 out of 36 districts have recognized the work done by school librarians as educators shows that fellow teachers appreciate the value the position - and the highly trained professionals who fill it - brings to both their students and their colleagues,” says Sarah Hunicke of Portsmouth High School, president of School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI). “Unfortunately, some school committees see the library department as dispensable. But  research has shown a correlation between school library programs and student achievement. When a school district thinks that cutting certified school librarians is an easy way to save money, they may actually end up costing themselves more in the long run.”

 

About SLRI - www.slri.info - @SchLibRI

The purpose of School Librarians of Rhode Island shall be to (1) promote the improvement of instruction through opportunities that broaden the professional knowledge, understanding, and experience of its members; (2) provide leadership in defining, interpreting, and promoting effective library media programs to the community; and (3) serve as facilitator between the State Department of Education, Office of Library and Information Services, professional organizations, and the general public.

The Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS), the Coalition of Library Advocates (COLA), and the RI Library Association (RILA) are joining forces again to present a stimulating program on the important role of library trustees in preserving and protecting patrons’ intellectual freedom and privacy rights.  Participants will engage in thought-provoking discussions and interactive exercises to facilitate better understanding of why privacy matters to everyone.

This session is recommended for library trustees, library directors, and others interested in policy, privacy and intellectual freedom.

Our speaker, Nancy Kranich, was President of the American Library Association from 2000 to 2001. She currently teaches at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Information and conducts special projects for the Rutgers University Libraries. Previously, Nancy served as Associate Dean of Libraries at New York University.

Nancy will examine the differences between confidentiality and privacy, the need for libraries to adopt privacy policies, the importance of understanding the relationship between privacy and the First Amendment, and privacy rights of youth. She will also familiarize trustees with helpful resources such as the ALA Privacy Toolkit. Attendees will leave this session with an understanding of why the library must remain a bastion for both free expression and privacy.

A tireless advocate for free and open access to information, Nancy has spoken out against censorship, filtering, secrecy, privatization, and other attempts to limit the public’s information rights. She also spearheaded ALA's right to know, information commons, and civic engagement initiatives, fostered the development of ALA's privacy and filtering toolkits, formed the Coalition on Government Information, and established the James Madison Awards honoring champions of public access to information. She has testified several times before Congress, attended annual legislative days at the state and national levels, and participated in several White House and Congressional briefings

A light supper will be provided.

Those interested in registering for this program can do so at http://www.olis.ri.gov/services/ce/individual.php?code=corn1112.

The Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) and the School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI) invite you to the third annual October is Information Literacy Month Celebration: Celebrating Life Long Learning Across Rhode Island!

 

Celebrating Life Long Learning Across Rhode Island!

October 26th, 4 – 6:30 pm at Cranston Public Library (Central)

140 Sockanosset Cross Rd Cranston, RI 02920

 

Celebrating Life Long Learning Across Rhode Island! will showcase examples of information literacy in public, school, academic and special library settings that demonstrate what information literacy looks like across RI libraries and how information literacy affects Rhode Islanders of every age.

 

A celebration of the importance of information literacy to the community is a great way to bring information literacy to life for the admin in your life. Invite your director, principal, dean, library board members, friends of your library, representatives of your administration, mayor or anyone else that might be interested to see information literacy in action.

 

The Information Literacy Showcase will feature food, fun, and information literacy. Tabletop presentations will allow attendees to explore the showcase in an “open house” environment. Attendees can meet and mingle with librarians while enjoying a catered spread. We look forward to celebrating information literacy and libraries with you!

 

Please RSVP by October 22, 2015

http://goo.gl/forms/u5CznNJ1UO

Hi everyone,

There will be a NELLS Reunion Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 10:00am.  There is a $25 charge.  NELLS Alumni (including mentors) are welcome to register at http://ams.nelib.org/event-2015805.

Please pass this on to anyone you know who was part of NELLS.  We currently have about 20 people registered.


Thanks,
-- Deb

Deb Hoadley
NELA, Past President/2015 Conference Chair
603-819-1798 (cell)
dhoadley@nelib.org
http://nelib.org/

Laura Kohl is asking RILA members to take a look at the proposed NEASC Standards for Instituations of Higher Learning.  If you have any feedback please contact her at lkohl@bryant.edu so she can share the reactions with the librarians who will be meeting with NEASC representatives. 

 

NEASC has developed new proposed standards for accreditation for institutions of higher education in New England, with a December adoption date, which has removed library standard 7 from the standards. A group of librarians is going to meet with Barbara E. Brittingham, President of the Commission on institutions of Higher Education. We are seeking feedback from librarians across New England, in part for this meeting, and in part for a future statement by ACRL NEC.

 

Below please find relevant documents. The existing standards are useful for comparison purposes, and the white paper is useful for understanding why the library standard was removed. 

 

Existing Standards: https://cihe.neasc.org/standards-policies/standards-accreditation

Draft Revised Standards: https://cihe.neasc.org/sites/cihe.neasc.org/files/downloads/New_of_the_Website/DRAFT_Standards_for_Accreditation_8.25.15.pdf

White paper describing the need for changes: https://cihe.neasc.org/sites/cihe.neasc.org/files/downloads/Standards_Revision_Process/StandardsRevisionDiscussionPaperJanuary2015.pdf

 

Laura Kohl

Head of Research & Instruction Services

Douglas & Judith Krupp Library

Bryant University

http://library.bryant.edu

 

ACRL New England Chapter RI State Representative

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is offering the Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Research Grant for 2016. This grant of $1,000 provides seed money for small-scale projects that will encourage research that responds to the YALSA Research Agenda.

 

Details regarding the applications for the 2016 Frances Henne YALSA/VOYA Research Grant are available from the YALSA Web site at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/awardsandgrants/franceshenne. Applications for the grant are due in the YALSA Office by December 1, 2015. For more information please contact us via e-mail, yalsa@ala.org; or by phone: 1-800-545-2433 x 4387.

 

 

Amanda L. S. Murphy

Youth Services Assistant Manager

Warren-Trumbull County Public Library

Warren, Ohio

330-856-2011 ext. 511

Calling all Librarians... 

 

Please donate books to The Book Truck- bringing books directly to children in the inner city.

 

The Book Truck will give free books to inner city children by going directly to those neighbors were books are needed the most.

 

It will be convenient, safe and also a lot of fun.

 

With the help of RISD, we are creating something of an ice cream truck experience – but for books.  With a sound system and alluring exterior, we will capture the imagination and attention, of elementary school kids -in places where the majority of children don’t have books of their own. 

 

To donate books, or even your time,

 

Please contact Catherine Price at Mail@drcatherineprice.com

The Rhode Island Library Association’s Information Literacy Action Round Table (ILART) is pleased to announce the third annual October is Information Literacy Month Celebration:

 

Celebrating Life Long Learning Across Rhode Island!

October 26th, 4 – 6:30 pm at Cranston Public Library (Central)

140 Sockanosset Cross Rd Cranston, RI 02920

 

Poster Sessions! Demonstrations! Show us your stuff!

Have you developed a great Info Lit technique, tutorial, or program that you’d like to share with other librarians? Tell us your story!  Submit a proposal for the Information Literacy Showcase. We want to know about the success you've had teaching information literacy to your patrons in a public, school, academic or special library setting.

 

What to Expect:

The Information Literacy Showcase features simultaneous tabletop presentations (poster or multimedia), which allows attendees to explore the showcase, ask questions of presenters and network with librarians at their own pace.

 

Proposal Guidelines Format:

In 150 words or less, please provide a brief description of your tabletop presentation, including relevant links to online IL resources, and give a short explanation of how your presentation will relate to the event theme. Topics can focus on blended learning, community programs, national standards, STEM/STEAM and many others. You will be notified via e-mail if your proposal has been selected.

 

Submit your proposal by Thursday, October 8th by completing the form at:

http://goo.gl/forms/uqYHCNgKxI

 

You will be notified via e-mail  by October 13 if your proposal has been selected.

URI’s Graduate School of Library and Information Studies is the recipient of an IMLS grant to implement the Media Smart Libraries program. One of the goals of the program is to advance the digital and media literacy skills of librarians through a series of free continuing education workshops.  We invite you to the first FREE workshop:

 

TWITTER 101

MEDIA SMART LIBRARIES WORKSHOP

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

East Providence Public Library

 

Presenter: Catherine Damiani, Digital Services Librarian, East Providence Public Library

 

Libraries of all kinds are already using Twitter to good effect.Whether it is to broadcast your library events, converse with other professionals, or follow experts and resources, Twitter should be one of your library's communication tools. In this session you will learn how to use Twitter and discuss ways that this micro-blogging tool can facilitate the exchange of information. We recommend that you create a Twitter account ahead of time and bring your own mobile device.

 

This workshop is part of the Media Smart Libraries program which was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Grant # LG-07-14-0045-14

 

We encourage you to BYOB - Bring Your Own Buddy and start tweeting to #mediasmartri

 

RSVP off list to:

Mary Moen, Media Smart Libraries Program Director  mary_moen@uri.edu

 

 

Thank you.

 

--

Mary Moen

Research Assistant Professor of Library Studies

Media Smart Libraries Program
Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services

 

Graduate School of Library and Information Studies

Harrington School of Communication and Media

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI

The RILA Conference committee is looking for new members!!!  Are you interested in helping to shape the new look of the RILA conference?  Do you have ideas for speakers, sessions, or activities that conference members will love?  If you are passionate about networking, professional development, or current trends in the field, then we want to hear from you!  Contact co-chairs Melissa Chiavaroli (melissa@cumberlandlibrary.org) or Erin Creighton (elcreighton@gmail.com) for more information about meetings, the time commitment required, or if you would like to join us!

 

Melissa Chiavaroli

Reference Services Coordinator

Cumberland Public Library

1464 Diamond Hill Road

Cumberland, RI 02864

(401) 333-2552 ext. 201

www.cumberlandlibrary.org