Monday, October 29, 2007

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Events Calendar for October 29-November 4, 2007

Monday, October 29

Tuesday, October 30

Wednesday, October 31


Thursday, November 1

Friday, November 2

Saturday, November 3

Sunday, November 4

Friday, October 26, 2007

Funding for Libraries

From ALA Office:

On Tuesday, October 24th the Senate passed the FY 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which contains funding for several library-related programs. The House passed a bill in July. Conferees will meet to reconcile the differences in the bills.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: The Senate passed bill contains $171,500,000 for the Grants to State Library Agencies program within the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Please contact your Senators and Representative and tell them to support the Senate passed funding level.

Funding for Selected Programs

FY 2008 House/FY 2008 Senate

Library State Grants

$167,500,000/$171,500,000

Native American Library Services

$3,638,000/$3,817,000

National Leadership Grants for Libraries

$12,375,000/$12,375,000

Recruitment of Librarians for the 21st Century

$23,760,000/$23,760,000

Administration total for IMLS

$12,021,000/$12,917,000

Talking points:

Please bring the total for the LSTA state program from House-passed funding level of $167.5 million to Senate passed funding level of $171.5 million to allow full implementation of a 2003 law to provide a more equitable distribution of state formula grants. In 2003, all of the states and Congress agreed that the base should be doubled to help even the playing field for the small states while ensuring that large states don't face an undue burden to achieve that. Currently, all funding increases to the state program go to the base, and not to population increases for the large states.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

By The Book: Map for the Future

By The Book: Map for the Future – A Readers’ Advisory Conference Albany Public Library, Albany, NY November 15-16, 2007

Join Albany Public Library as we look toward the future of readers’ advisory in our fourth annual By the Book conference. Our featured speakers will be Neal Wyatt, Collection Management Librarian for Chesterfield County Public Library, Chesterfield, VA, and Michael B. Gannon, Associate Director for Administrative Services for Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, Hyattsville, MD. With an exciting slate of programs for professional and paraprofessional staff scheduled for Friday, November 16, APL’s By the Book is designed to give attendees real-world readers’ advisory tips and techniques that they can implement in their home libraries.

Neal Wyatt will discuss reading maps, a recent cover topic in “Library Journal,” and she’ll also lead afternoon breakout sessions designed to give you hands on experience with this new and exciting RA tool. Reading maps offer librarians a varied and wide range of options for connecting readers with books that go beyond the traditional appeal factors.

Michael B. Gannon will share with us his advice for making the most of book covers when offering readers’ advisory services to readers. We’ll also look beyond providing readers’ advisory for very popular genres like mystery and romance: Mr. Gannon, also the author of Blood, Bedlam, Bullets, and Badguys: A Reader’s Guide to Adventure/Suspense Fiction, will lead an afternoon breakout session on reaching out to readers of adventure and suspense fiction.

Explore one of the most in-demand new genres, urban fiction, with Albany Public Library’s own urban fiction RA expert Scott Jarzombek, Branch Librarian. Plus we’ll expand our breakout sessions to include children’s and young adult RA with Jendy Murphy, Head of APL’s Gerald D. Jennings Children’s Library.

Attendees at this year’s event are invited to join us Thursday night for refreshments and a chance to share the “Best of the Book Groups.” Bring your favorite book group title and tell us why it worked for you! The $65 registration fee also includes breakfast and lunch on Friday, November 16; student registrations are $25 (student ID required).

Registration must be received by Wednesday, November 7, 2007. For more information, go here or contact Amy Maurer McLaughlin, Head of Readers’ Services, mclaughlina@uhls.lib.ny.us, 518-427-4349.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Events Calendar for October 23-29, 2007

Monday, October 22

Tuesday, October 23

Wednesday, October 24

Thursday, October 25

Friday, October 26

Saturday, October 27

Monday, October 15, 2007

Food Banks-Striving to End Hunger

Location: Main Library Begins: 12:15 pm (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)
Description: Tuesday, October 16 12:15 pm Speaker: John T. Evers, Executive Director, Food Bank Association of NY Subject: Food Banks-Striving to End Hunger.

Events Calendar for October 16-22, 2007

Monday, October 15

Tuesday, October 16

Wednesday, October 17

Thursday, October 18

Friday, October 19

Saturday, October 20

Sunday, October 21

Saturday, October 13, 2007

POSITION AVAILABLE

ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
TEMPORARY -- FULL TIME - LIBRARIAN I - REFERENCE DEPARTMENT
10-11-07

General Statement of Duties

Under the supervision of the Head of Reference Services this position provides library services to the public at the main branch of Albany Public Library.
* *
*Classification: *Librarian I (Full time temporary appointment)
*Job Description: *This is a hands-on, customer service position that involves working with library customers to satisfy their information needs. The position provides full reference service and instruction/assistance in computer use to all user populations. Other duties for professional staff include collection development responsibilities, the development and presentation of library programming, and other tasks as assigned.
*Required Skills and Abilities: *A familiarity with current library trends and technologies; strong oral and written communication skills.
Tact and courtesy when dealing with the public and coworkers is essential.
*Minimum Qualifications: *Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications:
Graduation from a registered college or university accredited by the American Library Association or registered by the NYS Education Department to grant degrees with a Master's Degree* in Library Science, Information Services or equivalent.
*Minimum qualifications are in accordance with New York State Education Department Division of Library Development.
*Work Schedule: *Combination of day, evening and weekend hours totaling 37.50 hrs. per week.
*Supervisor: *Head of Reference Services.
*Salary: * $20.40 hour
*Deadline: *Until filled* *

*Apply to: *
Marjorie Reinhart, Human Resources & Finance Manager
161 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
reinharm@uhls.lib.ny.us
Albany Public Library is an AA/EO institution and is strongly and actively committed to increasing diversity within its organization.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Citizens for Public Transportation meeting

Citizens for Public Transportation will meet Wednesday, October 17th, 7:00 PM, at the Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Avenue, between Lark and Dove.

Guest Speaker: Donald Lavada, Director of Marketing and Economic Development for NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority).

A representative of CDTA will attend.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Searching for books by the colour of the cover

How accurate would searching by the average colour of a book cover actually be? As one person wrote: "That is just the single most off-the-wall and simultaneously useful thing I've seen in a long time." (And yes, the source is British.)

Check out color fundamentals, especially the psychology of color.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Book Review: Against the Day



Location: Main Library
Begins: 12:15 pm, Tuesday, October 9 12:15 pm
Book Review: Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon
Reviewer: Robert Sharkey, writer and nationally published poet

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Events Calendar for October 8-14, 2007

Monday, October 8

Tuesday, October 9

Wednesday, October 10

Thursday, October 11

Friday, October 12

Sunday, October 14

Saturday, October 06, 2007

New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency & Competitiveness

From the New York State Library via NYLINE:

The New York State Commission on Local Government Efficiency & Competitiveness, referred to on page 8 of his State of the State' address on January 3, 2007, was established by Governor Eliot Spitzer with executive order number 11 on April 23, 2007. The Commission is charged with reporting a plan to "consolidate New York's multiple layers of local government."

Details just released by the Commission are available online at here. Materials released by the Commission will also be collected in New York State Library's digital media management system. A final report will be issued in 2008.

Friday, October 05, 2007

League of Women Voters Health Care Reform Program

SECOND LWV HEALTH CARE REFORM PROGRAM
Tuesday, October 9, 7-9 p.m.
in the McChesney Room of the Schenectady Public Library
corner of Liberty and Clinton, Schenectady

Courtney Burke, Policy Analyst at the Rockefeller Intitue of Government will present some of the current proposals before Congress, as well as proposals being advanced by presidential candidates. Discussion will follow.

The Presidential primary in New York State is less than 6 months away. Health Care Reform is one of the most important issues facing our country and on the minds of voters. An estimated 47 million Americans are without health insurance. About as many others are underinsured. In 2004, Elizabeth Warren of Harvard Law School published a study showing an estimated 50% of personal bankruptcies followed a medical crisis. Of those who filed personal bankruptcy, 75% had health insurance.

What are the most important aspects of reform being proposed by presidential candidates and legislators? How do these proposals differ? What can be done to assure that meaningful reform is on the agenda of the next President?

The program is free and open to the public.

The Fall Festival of Books

The Children’s Literature Connection and the English Department of Hudson Valley Community College present:
The Fall Festival of Books, C.L.C.'s 4th annual greeting/selling/autographing celebration of children’s literature. School and public librarians, educators and the general public are invited to meet authors and illustrators, buy their books and chat as books are autographed. Professionals are encouraged to speak with authors about school visits, and hear about exciting upcoming projects. It’s a great time to think about unique holiday gifts, too.

This year, for the first time, the authors will have the opportunity to showcase their work via individual presentations. This year, authors will include:
Sylvie Kantorovitz (Wickstrom), Matt McElligott, Karen Beil, Kyra Teis, Alexandra Siy, Rose Kent, Eric Luper, Thomas Styles, Marlene Newman, Liza Frenette, Daniel Mahoney, Peter Marino, and Bob Hervey.

In addition, there will be a door prize. Attendees qualify for a free author visit from award winning writer Jennifer Armstrong.

This is a free event; no registration is required. Free parking is available. For directions to HVCC’’s Bulmer Telecommunications Center, go here.

For more Fall Festival info, visit: the Children's Literature Connection.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Digest of Education Statistics, 2006

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

The 42nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962, the Digest’s primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. The Digest contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, and federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Downtown Albany: October 2007

From the Downtown BID:

Columbus Day
Albany's 16th Annual Columbus Parade & Italian Festival takes place October 6th, recognizing the contributions and the heritage of Italian-Americans. The parade through the streets of Albany concludes with a fantastic family festival in Washington Park. For details, click here.

Albany Tulip Festival Named One Of The Top 100 Events in North America
The City of Albany's Tulip Festival has been named as one of the American Bus Association's Top 100 Events in North America! For a complete list of the top 100 events in North America, click here.

New Business Development Package
The Downtown Albany BID's newly updated Business Relocation & Development Package is now available online, with comprehensive information on Downtown Development, Empire Zone Benefits, Tech Valley Investments, Market Data and much more. Print copies will be available October 10. Click here to request a print copy.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Monday, October 01, 2007

Book Review: Poems From Guantanamo


Location: Main Library
Begins: 12:15 pm (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)
Description: Book Review: Poems From Guantanamo, The Detainees Speak by Mark Salkoff
Reviewer: Dan Wilcox, poet, writer, publisher and one of the “Three Guys From Albany” poetry group.