"Freedom's Treasures" Exhibit to Be in State Capitol

The "Freedom's Treasures" exhibit, a rare display of Revolutionary War-era and early nation period historical artifacts, including a handwritten draft of Washington's Farewell Address, will be open to the public at the State Capitol's ceremonial Red Room, from 10 AM to 4 PM on November 10-11.

"Our nation's founding fathers and countless dedicated patriots put their lives on the line in support of the ideals of freedom and liberty," Governor David Paterson said. "This important exhibition of rare and historic artifacts from America's struggle for freedom will inspire us all to remember and cherish our past, as New Yorkers and Americans. Veterans Day, on which we honor those who have protected and defended our nation, is a particularly auspicious time for us to reflect on the history of the United States through this remarkable collection."

The exhibition, entitled "Freedom's Treasures," features a collection from the New York State Library, Archives and Museum of some of New York's most important Revolutionary Era artifacts that have rarely been seen by the public. Featured in the exhibition is an original draft of George Washington's Farewell Address penned in his hand that was sent to Alexander Hamilton for comment and revision on May 15, 1796. The document is part of the George Washington Collection at the New York State Library and was rescued from the fire that ravaged the State Capitol in 1911.

"Freedom's Treasures" also will give the public the chance to see a dress sword allegedly given to General Washington by Frederick the Great. The sword was purchased by the State of New York directly from Washington's family in 1871 and is depicted in the Washington portrait that hangs in the United States House of Representatives. According to Washington family tradition, the sword was given to General Washington with this verbal message from Frederick (the Great) II, King of Prussia: "From the oldest general of the world to the greatest."

Among the other artifacts included in this exhibition are a portrait of New York State's sixth Governor DeWitt Clinton and a writing desk he used. In office during two non-consecutive terms, Clinton was responsible for the building of the Erie Canal. The exhibit also includes the original engrossed copy of the U.S. Constitution sent to New York State for ratification and the "spy papers" retrieved from British Major John Andre's boot that implicated American General Benedict Arnold in the West Point conspiracy.

The full list of exhibited items is as follows:

● Washington's Farewell Address;

● Bronze bust of George Washington;

● Leaves from Washington's copy of "A Representation of the Cloathing of His Majesty's Household and of all the Forces upon the Establishments of Great Britain and Ireland" (the uniform book);

● Washington's dress sword;

● Benedict Arnold / John Andre papers;

● A print of John Andre crossing the Hudson River (based upon his own drawing of the event);

● Engrossed copy of the original U.S. Constitution;

● DeWitt Clinton portrait; and

● DeWitt Clinton's writing desk and chair.

Reservations are required for those interested in visiting the Freedom's Treasures exhibit on Wednesday, November 10. On Wednesday, those who are registered for the tour should meet at the Plaza Visitor Center, North Concourse, Empire State Plaza, Albany. For those interested in making reservations for Wednesday, November 10, please visit the OGS website.

Reservations are NOT required on Thursday, November 11. Those interested in viewing the exhibit should enter the Capitol directly and follow the signs that will be posted. Visitors can gain access to the Capitol either from State Street or through the Empire Plaza Concourse.

For directions to the Empire State Plaza please visit HERE.

For parking instructions at the Empire State Plaza please visit HERE.

To Kill a Saturday

A reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, Saturday, November 6 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m at the BOOK HOUSE in Stuyvesant Plaza, to benefit Literacy Volunteers. I'm scheduled to read at 3 p.m. Read more here.

All APL locations closed Thursday, November 4th

...for Staff Development Day. Library will reopen Friday, November 5.

Raymond James commercial - The Oldest Woman To Ever Live

This commercial for Raymond James about the fastidious librarian. I GUESS it's a compliment.

Alluring Androids and Robots in Film, Photography, and Art

The idea of artificial women who seem alive has long fascinated artists, photographers, filmmakers, and videogame designers. Today's female robots look so real they can easily fool the eye. These images reveal our social attitudes about women and also the impact of robots on our lives. This illustrated presentation raises provocative new questions: Do men and women view female robots differently? How do these images reveal men’s fantasies and fears about women? Will these ultra-realistic robots enhance our lives or challenge our humanity?

Professor Julie Wosk, State University of New York, Maritime College, will present this program which will be held in the Librarians Room on the 7th floor of the NYS Library. This program, which is free and open to the public, is made possible through the support of the NY Council for the Humanities’ Speakers in the Humanities program.

Friday, November 5th, 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
You are welcome to bring your lunch.


TO REGISTER online go to this site or e-mail NYSLTRN@mail.nysed.gov or or call 518-474-2274. Please let the library know if any reasonable accommodation is required (Americans with Disabilities Act) at least three business days prior to the program date.

New York State Library/Reference Services, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230 (518-474-5355).

VOTE TOMORROW

Go HERE for all the info, including WHERE TO VOTE.

CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION - NOVEMBER 2, 2010

OFFICE
PARTY
CANDIDATE
ADDRESS

GOVERNOR

DEM
ANDREW M. CUOMO
4 BITTERSWEET LANE, MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549
REP
CARL P. PALADINO
282 POTTERS ROAD, BUFFALO, NY 14220
IND
ANDREW M. CUOMO
4 BITTERSWEET LANE, MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549
CON
CARL P. PALADINO
282 POTTERS ROAD, BUFFALO, NY 14220
WOR
ANDREW M. CUOMO
4 BITTERSWEET LANE, MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549
GRN
HOWIE HAWKINS
P.O. BOX 562, SYRACUSE, NY 13205
RDH
JIMMY MCMILLAN
1996 NOSTRAND AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY 11210
LBT
WARREN REDLICH
6946 SUZANNE COURT, SCHENECTADY, NY 12303
APP
KRISTIN M. DAVIS
232 E. 74TH STREET, APT 4D, NEW YORK, NY 10021
FDM
CHARLES BARRON
744 BRADFORD STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11207
TXP
CARL P. PALADINO
282 POTTERS ROAD, BUFFALO, NY 14220

LT. GOVERNOR

DEM
ROBERT J. DUFFY
164 CROYDON ROAD, ROCHESTER, NY 14610
REP
GREGORY J. EDWARDS
2714 GARFIELD ROAD, JAMESTOWN, NY 14701
IND
ROBERT J. DUFFY
164 CROYDON ROAD, ROCHESTER, NY 14610
CON
GREGORY J. EDWARDS
2714 GARFIELD ROAD, JAMESTOWN, NY 14701
WOR
ROBERT J. DUFFY
164 CROYDON ROAD, ROCHESTER, NY 14610
GRN
GLORIA MATTERA
437 SECOND STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11215
LBT
ALDEN LINK
36 GREENTREE LANE, MILTON, NY 12547
APP
TANYA GENDELMAN
3152 BRIGHTON 6TH STREET, APT 301, BROOKLYN, NY 11235
FDM
EVA M. DOYLE
425 EMSLIE STREET, BUFFALO, NY 14212
TXP
GREGORY J. EDWARDS
2714 GARFIELD ROAD, JAMESTOWN, NY 14701

COMPTROLLER

DEM
THOMAS P. DINAPOLI
100 GREAT NECK ROAD, GREAT NECK, NY 11021
REP
HARRY WILSON
42 SAGE TERRACE, SCARSDALE, NY 10583
IND
HARRY WILSON
42 SAGE TERRACE, SCARSDALE, NY 10583
CON
HARRY WILSON
42 SAGE TERRACE, SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WOR
THOMAS P. DINAPOLI
100 GREAT NECK ROAD, GREAT NECK, NY 11021
GRN
JULIA A. WILLEBRAND
255 WEST 84TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10024
LBT
JOHN GAETANI
49 CEDAR LANE, GLENVILLE, NY 12302

ATTORNEY GENERAL

DEM
ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN
645 WEST END AVENUE, APT 8F, NEW YORK, NY 10025
REP
DAN DONOVAN
31 HYLAN BOULEVARD, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10305
IND
ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN
645 WEST END AVENUE, APT 8F, NEW YORK, NY 10025
CON
DAN DONOVAN
31 HYLAN BOULEVARD, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10305
WOR
ERIC T. SCHNEIDERMAN
645 WEST END AVENUE, APT 8F, NEW YORK, NY 10025
LBT
CARL E. PERSON
330 WEST 55TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019
FRM
RAMON J. JIMENEZ
2922 BRUCKNER BOULEVARD, 2ND FLR, BRONX, NY 10465

U.S. SENATOR (2 YR UNEXPIRED TERM)

DEM
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND
358 MT. MERINO ROAD, HUDSON, NY 12534
REP
JOSEPH J. DIOGUARDI
1607 EAGLE BAY DRIVE, OSSINING, NY 10562
IND
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND
358 MT. MERINO ROAD, HUDSON, NY 12534
CON
JOSEPH J. DIOGUARDI
1607 EAGLE BAY DRIVE, OSSINING, NY 10562
WOR
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND
358 MT. MERINO ROAD, HUDSON, NY 12534
GRN
CECILE A. LAWRENCE
14 ALPINE DRIVE, APALACHIN, NY 13732
RDH
JOSEPH HUFF
275 MENNELLA ROAD, POUGHQUAG, NY 12570
LBT
JOHN CLIFTON
168-32 127TH AVENUE, APT 9D, JAMAICA, NY 11434
APP
VIVIA MORGAN
636 BROOKLYN AVENUE, APT 2D, BROOKLYN, NY 11203
TXP
JOSEPH J. DIOGUARDI
1607 EAGLE BAY DRIVE, OSSINING, NY 10562
TRP
BRUCE BLAKEMAN
200 EAST 69TH STREET, APT 11D, NEW YORK, NY 10021

U.S. SENATOR (6 YR FULL TERM)

DEM
CHARLES E. SCHUMER
9 PROSPECT PARK WEST, BROOKLYN, NY 11215
REP
JAY TOWNSEND
P.O. BOX 524, CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, NY 12520
IND
CHARLES E. SCHUMER
9 PROSPECT PARK WEST, BROOKLYN, NY 11215
CON
JAY TOWNSEND
P.O. BOX 524, CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, NY 12520
WOR
CHARLES E. SCHUMER
9 PROSPECT PARK WEST, BROOKLYN, NY 11215
GRN
COLIA CLARK
52 ST. NICHOLAS PLACE, NEW YORK, NY 10001
LBT
RANDY A. CREDICO
14 SEVENTH AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY 11217
APP
RANDY A. CREDICO
14 SEVENTH AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY 11217

REP. IN CONGRESS (21ST DISTRICT)

DEM
PAUL D. TONKO
137 PRINCETON STREET, AMSTERDAM, NY 12010
REP
THEODORE J. DANZ, JR.
5907 GARDNER ROAD, ALTAMONT, NY 12009
IND
PAUL D. TONKO
137 PRINCETON STREET, AMSTERDAM, NY 12010
CON
THEODORE J. DANZ, JR.
5907 GARDNER ROAD, ALTAMONT, NY 12009
WOR
PAUL D. TONKO
137 PRINCETON STREET, AMSTERDAM, NY 12010


STATE SENATOR (46TH DISTRICT)

DEM
NEIL D. BRESLIN
15 PINEDALE AVENUE, DELMAR, NY 12054
REP
BOB DOMENICI
38 AUSABLE FORKS, ALBANY, NY 12205
IND
NEIL D. BRESLIN
15 PINEDALE AVENUE, DELMAR, NY 12054
CON
BOB DOMENICI
38 AUSABLE FORKS, ALBANY, NY 12205
WOR
NEIL D. BRESLIN
15 PINEDALE AVENUE, DELMAR, NY 12054
RFM
MICHAEL J. CAREY
31 OAKWOOD ROAD, GLENMONT, NY 12077

MEMBER OF ASSEMBLY (104TH DISTRICT)

DEM
JOHN J. MCENENY
147 COLONIAL AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12208
REP
DEBORAH M. BUSCH
265 SIMONS ROAD, ALTAMONT, NY 12009
IND
JOHN J. MCENENY
147 COLONIAL AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12008
CON
DEBORAH M. BUSCH
265 SIMONS ROAD, ALTAMONT, NY 12009
WOR
JOHN J. MCENENY
147 COLONIAL AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12008
TXP
DEBORAH M. BUSCH
265 SIMONS ROAD, ALTAMONT, NY 12009

MEMBER OF ASSEMBLY (106TH DISTRICT)

DEM
RONALD J. CANESTRARI
16 ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD, COHOES, NY 12047
IND
RONALD J. CANESTRARI
16 ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD, COHOES, NY 12047
WOR
RONALD J. CANESTRARI
16 ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD, COHOES, NY 12047

MEMBER OF ASSEMBLY (108TH DISTRICT)

DEM
TIMOTHY P. GORDON
15 BELDALE ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159
REP
STEVE MCLAUGHLIN
52 AVENUE A, MELROSE, NY 12121
IND
TIMOTHY P. GORDON
15 BELDALE ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159
CON
STEVE MCLAUGHLIN
52 AVENUE A, MELROSE, NY 12121
WOR
TIMOTHY P. GORDON
15 BELDALE ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159

MEMBER OF ASSEMBLY (109TH DISTRICT)

DEM
ROBERT P. REILLY
12 CARRIAGE HILL DRIVE, LATHAM, NY 12110
REP
JENNIFER A. WHALEN
498 LOUDON ROAD, LOUDONVILLE, NY 12211
IND
ROBERT P. REILLY
12 CARRIAGE HILL DRIVE, LATHAM, NY 12110
CON
JENNIFER A. WHALEN
498 LOUDON ROAD, LOUDONVILLE, NY 12211
WOR
ROBERT P. REILLY
12 CARRIAGE HILL DRIVE, LATHAM, NY 12110

SURROGATE COURT JUDGE

DEM
CATHRYN M. DOYLE
2 OLD ENGLISH ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159
REP
MARGARET M. ADKINS
2 OVERLOOK DRIVE, VOORHEESVILLE, NY 12186
IND
CATHRYN M. DOYLE
2 OLD ENGLISH ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159
CON
CATHRYN M. DOYLE
2 OLD ENGLISH ROAD, SLINGERLANDS, NY 12159
WOR
HELENA HEATH-ROLAND
78 GLENDALE AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12208

CITY OF ALBANY
BOARD OF EDUCATION (VOTE FOR 3)

JAMES K. LEMBO
48 BROOKLINE AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12203
WAYNE P. MORRIS
96 RIDGEWOOD TERRACE, ALBANY, NY 12203
EDITH LEET
951 MYRTLE AVENUE, ALBANY, NY 12203
BARRY D. WALSTON
30 BUCHANAN STREET, ALBANY, NY 12206
FELICIA GREEN
2 GLENWOOD STREET, ALBANY, NY 12208
ALEXANDRA JANE STREZNEWSKI
143 MANNING BOULEVARD, ALBANY, NY 12203

CITY OF WATERVLIET

COUNCILMAN

DEM
NICHOLAS W. FOGLIA
713 6TH STREET, WATERVLIET, NY 12189
IND
NICHOLAS W. FOGLIA
713 6TH STREET, WATERVLIET, NY 12189
CON
NICHOLAS W. FOGLIA
713 6TH STREET, WATERVLIET, NY 12189

CITY COURT JUDGE

DEM
THOMAS E. LAMB
700 MANOR PLACE, WATERVLIET, NY 12189
CON
THOMAS E. LAMB
700 MANOR PLACE, WATERVLIET, NY 12189

TOWN OF BERNE

TOWN JUSTICE

DEM
KENNETH R. BUNZEY
1713 HELDERBERG TRAIL, BERNE, NY 12023

TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

TOWN JUSTICE

DEM
RYAN T. DONOVAN
29 CARRIAGE ROAD, DELMAR, NY 12054
REP
RALPH F. AMBROSIO
63 ADAMS PLACE, DELMAR, NY 12054
IND
RYAN T. DONOVAN
29 CARRIAGE ROAD, DELMAR, NY 12054
CON
RYAN T. DONOVAN
29 CARRIAGE ROAD, DELMAR, NY 12054

TOWN OF GREEN ISLAND

VILLAGE TRUSTEES (VOTE FOR 3)

DEM
MICHAEL A. COCCA, SR.
10 WEST STREET, GREEN ISLAND, NY 12183
RICHARD R. JONES, JR.
135 HUDSON AVENUE, GREEN ISLAND, NY 12183
BARBARA J. BELOKOPITSKY
21 LAFAYETTE PARK, GREEN ISLAND, NY 12183

TOWN OF RENSSELAERVILLE

COUNCILPERSON

DEM
DALE DORNER
1444 COUNTY ROUTE 351, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147
REP
ROBERT L. BOLTE
8 BOLTE LANE, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147
IND
ROBERT L. BOLTE
8 BOLTE LANE, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147
CON
ROBERT L. BOLTE
8 BOLTE LANE, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147

TOWN JUSTICE

DEM
TIMOTHY C. MILLER
1441 COUNTY ROUTE 351, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147
REP
MYRA C. DORMAN
304 ALBANY HILL ROAD, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147
IND
TIMOTHY C. MILLER
1441 COUNTY ROUTE 351, RENSSELAERVILLE, NY 12147

Support FOCUS by Dining out Nov. 16 & 17

Help support the FOCUS Interfaith Food Pantry and the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society by dining out Tuesday, November 16 or Wednesday, November 17th. Partnering restaurants will donate a certain percentage of proceeds from those two nights to help stop hunger and homelessness in our community. Restaurants that are committed include:

Dale Miller: The Art of Dining
Angelo’s 677 Prime
Franklin’s Tower
Bayou Café

This list is still in formation, check the website often for updates!

FOCUS on Food

The FOCUS Winter Breakfast begins its 27th season on Tuesday, November 2nd! Over 50 volunteers have signed up to cover early morning shifts Tuesday - Thursday through next April. Last season, the program served over 16,000 meals and averaged 140 guests per morning.

This week, FRAC (Food Research and Action Center) sponsored a virtual rally to support ending childhood hunger. FOCUS supports a strong federal nutrition bill that doesn’t cut funding for SNAP (food stamps). 1 in 6 children in NYS experience hunger or are at risk of hunger. Click here to learn more about how you can help reduce child hunger.

NYC Zombie March to City Hall

Urban Librarians Unite
www.savenyclibraries.org
savenyclibraries@gmail.com

Save NYC Libraries Postcard Campaign and Urban Librarians Unite Announce Halloween Zombie Walk to Save NYC Public Libraries
October 31, 2010
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Urban Librarians Unite announce a Halloween Zombie Walk in support of New York City's public libraries, to be held October 31, 2010, beginning at Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn and continuing over the Brooklyn Bridge to commence at City Hall, New York, New York, USA.

The Halloween Zombie Walk brings library-loving New Yorkers together for a day of public theater to draw public attention to the mid-year budget cuts faced by New York City's public libraries. What does any of this have to do with zombies? Well, without libraries there are simply no brains, and zombies need to eat brains to live. With libraries across the city closed on weekends there is a desperate food shortage. So New York City’s zombie librarians will be walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall this Halloween to protest the drastic cuts to their food supply. These zombies are starving and without the support of the public library their future appears grim.

New York City's three library systems serve 8 million residents from a combined 212 locations, numbering over 43 million visits in FY'09. Since the economic crisis began, library use has been at an all-time high, with many New Yorkers depending on their local library for access to the information, resources, and programs necessary to conduct job searches, complete their education, navigate the Internet, and access public services.

Mayor Bloomberg’s projected mid-year budget adjustment will cut funding for libraries by $16.5 million - 5.4% across the board. This comes on the heels of a devastating August reduction of $30 million that decimated weekend library service. Three years of brutal cuts during the biggest economic crisis in a generation have reduced public library funding by a shocking $74.5 million since 2008, or 20%. Additional cuts will result in further service reductions and layoffs, right before the holiday season. Unless Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council maintain funding, libraries' ability to provide New Yorkers with job search help, afterschool tutoring, computer access and instruction, English classes, and research assistance will be sharply reduced by December 2010.

Dress in your bookish zombie best and march/shamble your way to City Hall to support your local library and feed your brain.

For more information on the Halloween Zombie Walk, please contact savenyclibraries@gmail.com

Board of Education Candidates Forum

Thursday, October 28, Albany High School, 7-8:30 p.m.

A Board of Education Candidates Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Albany City Council PTA.

Halloween Fun and Safety

Find a collection of Halloween resources on USA.gov's newest page.

Topics include:
Candy Has a Shelf Life
Makeup Safety
Spooky Space Sounds
Halloween Folklore
And much more!

ACLU Report Seeks FCC Action On Internet Openness

Protecting the Internet against content discrimination by broadband carriers is crucial to protecting First Amendment rights in the age of modern technology, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a new report on network neutrality. In the report, "Net Neutrality 101," the ACLU urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create strong policies that prevent Internet gatekeepers from exploiting their role for private gain. The report characterizes the need for "net neutrality" as a leading free speech issue of our time.

Get Smart About Your Finances with Free Workshops

The Main Library is hosting a series of free half-day workshops this week designed to help people with money troubles get smart about their finances. Participants can choose to attend one or more of the sessions to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 27, and Thursday, Oct. 28. All sessions are free and open to the public. Registration is required by calling the Main Library Reference Department at 427-4303.

Details HERE.

2010 SHUBERT LIBRARY EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED

The New York State Regents Advisory Council on Libraries is pleased to announce that the 2010 Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award has been awarded to the Queens Library for their entry entitled, “Queens Library for Teens”.

The Queens Library for Teens, part of Queens Library, opened in December 2008 and is located in Far Rockaway. With encouragement from the community, Queens Library pursued grants including a federally-funded Juvenile Justice Grant to support the renting of an empty storefront to house the teen library. It is two blocks away from the full-service library and is 3,500 square feet. It has unilaterally renewed library service for the community at every age level because it directs and serves teens in and out of school who had previously been disruptive in the community library. At the same time, it gives teens incentive to stay in school/get a GED and directs them into socially positive activities. The “bait” that draws teens to the space has been technology. The Queens Library for Teens has 40 customer-use computers with high-speed internet access. The teen computers can be used to do homework, access Facebook, and email. A key component is that the teens must behave in an acceptable manner in order to gain entry. Dedicated youth counselors provide service and referrals, while librarians at the full-service branch give in-depth traditional reference services. Collections, programs and facilities are geared toward the interests of teens. More than 120 teens use the center every week day.

Runner-up for this year’s Shubert Award is the Milne Library/SUNY Geneseo for their project entitled, “LILAC” (Library Instruction Leadership Academy). LILAC is a collaborative professional development project designed, organized and delivered by librarians and educators representing 8 comprehensive colleges, 4 community and/or technical colleges, 10 schools within the K-12 system and the Rochester Regional Library Council. To round out the variety of educational institutions involved in LILAC, eleven librarians were accepted into the academy with experience and background ranging from a local homeschooling initiative to an elementary school library to specialized librarians serving graduate-level programs. It was developed to be a semester-long intensive learning experience for novice instruction librarians that incorporates a variety of learning experiences including workshops, field experience, assigned readings, personal reflection, discussion, and a final culminating project. The academy was designed to provide librarians new to instruction the pedagogical training and practice necessary to effectively teach library and information literacy concepts and skills. With a $3,500 award from the Harold Hacker Advancement of Libraries Grant and $1,100 collected in participant fees, LILAC’s total budget came to $4,600. This figure, however, does not reflect the thousands of dollars contributed via in-kind and volunteer support (approximately $24,000).

The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries 2010 Shubert Award Committee (consisting of Sam Simon, Chair; Sara Kelly Johns and Louise Sherby) was enthusiastic in its decision to honor the Queens Library submission as an excellent example of “the spirit of the Shubert award”. Members from the Shubert Award Committee, along with a representative from the Friends of the New York State Library who have graciously donated the $1,000 award money, will present a plaque and the award money at the New York Library Association’s annual conference in Saratoga Springs in November. A plaque will also be presented to the runner-up, Milne Library/SUNY Geneseo
The Joseph F. Shubert Excellence Award is given annually to recognize the achievements of small, medium and large libraries and library consortia in New York State. The Award honors libraries or library consortia that have taken significant steps within the past two years to improve the quality of library service to users. For more information about the Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award and the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries, visitHERE or contact the Office of the State Librarian at (518) 474-5930.

FRIENDS PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 26, 2010

Book Review: Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe . . . by James Hansen.
Reviewers: James Collins, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology, SUNY; Mary Ellen Mallia, Ph.D., Director of Environmental Sustainability, SUNY; & Jonathan Skinner, Ph.D., retired statistician.

Financial Literacy Training

Financial Literacy Training: Pass the Knowledge on to Your Patrons
Free workshops

Location: Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Ave, Albany NY
Dates: October 27 & 28
Times: Session 1, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Session 2, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Presenter: Beth LeVine, Certified Financial Educator, United Way of the Greater Capital Region
Participants are asked to attend at least one full session. Lunch is included.

Wednesday, October 27, Session 1, 9:30 am -12:30 pm
• Financial responsibility: Explore your perception of money and how it affects your life. Get tips on the best ways to approach your clients/consumers about money and financial responsibility.
• Identity theft
Wednesday, October 27, Session 2, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
• Credit: 4 types of credit, loans, credit repair
Thursday, October 28, Session 1, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
• Banking and budgeting
Thursday, October 28, Session 2, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
• Saving, establishing an emergency fund, types of investing, home ownership, retirement

Please RSVP with name of organization, number of people participating, and which sessions you will attend, to Meg Maurer via email or phone by October 25: maurerm@albanypubliclibrary.org or 427-4328

World Statistics Day

The United Nations General Assembly designated Oct. 20, 2010, as the first-ever World Statistics Day to highlight the role of official statistics and the many achievements of national statistical systems. Statistical organizations throughout the world will celebrate World Statistics Day at the national and regional level. The census, the U.S. Census Bureau and 13 other principal federal statistical agencies together have been collecting statistics about the nation's people, economy and society since 1790.

Here are some statistics, including statistics about statistics.

Buffalo libraries, trimmed again, won't close

From the Buffalo News, Sunday, October 17:

First the good news: your local branch library won't close next year ...
The library faces a projected shortfall of $6.75 million next year. That includes a $4 million cut in the systems county funding by County Executive Chris Collins.

To close the gap, Quinn Carey said, library officials have decided not to take the painful route of five years ago when the library system shrank from 51 branches to 37 during a budget crisis... But other difficult cuts will be necessary, the director said.

Among them:
Closing to the public the second floor of the Central Library downtown where a Teen Room and business and science collections now draw patrons and consolidating all public areas of Central on the first floor.

Cutting up to 130 full-time equivalent positions, which may mean layoffs for nearly 200 employees.

Drastically trimming open hours and staff levels, as well as some programs, at city and suburban branch libraries.

FRIENDS PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 19, 2010

Book Review: When You Reach Me, a middle-reader novel by Rebecca Stead.
Reviewer: Lyn Miller-Lachmann, author and editor.

New York State Archives and Library announce new Saturday hours

The New York State Library and New York State Archives will institute new Saturday hours beginning on October 16th. Saturday hours of operation at the two facilities, located on the 7th and 11th floor of the Cultural Education Center (CEC) at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, will be from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free public parking will be available in the Madison Avenue parking lots adjacent to the CEC. Directions and parking information is available on the New York State Museum website.

This new policy for expanded access does not affect the hours of the New York State Museum, which is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
However if a major holiday (e.g. July 4th, Memorial Day, Veterans Day) falls directly on a Saturday, the Library and Archives will not be open (checking their websites is advised for such holidays).

The New York State Library has served New Yorkers, New York State government and researchers from throughout the United States for more than 190 years. It is the largest state library in the nation and the only state library to qualify for membership in the Association of Research Libraries. The Library's research collection of more than 20 million items includes major holdings in law, medicine, the social sciences, education, American and New York State history and culture, the pure sciences and technology.

The New York State Archives identifies, preserves, and makes available more than 200 million records of colonial and state government dating back to 1630 that have enduring value to the public and private institutions and to all the people of the Empire State and the nation.

Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes

The Handbook of New York State and Local Taxes provides a general descriptive overview of the taxes which New York State and its local governments impose, and is revised periodically to reflect recently enacted law changes. It does not include non-tax revenue sources such as motor vehicle fees and the Lottery. Instead, it focuses on taxes, especially those administered by the Department of Taxation and Finance.

20,000 visit NYS Library exhibit at National Book Festival in DC

The New York State Library, Empire Center for the Book ,and the New York Council for the Humanities's booth at the Sept. 25 National Book Festival featured New York State’s rich literary heritage. Karen Balsen, New York State Library, Rocco Staino, Empire Book Festival, Erika Halstead, New York Council for the Humanities and volunteers stamped 10,000 US maps for children journeying through the “Pavilion of the States” exhibits; distributed New York themed tattoos and bookmarks; and provided maps and New York State literary related materials. Over 20,000 festival-goers visited the New York booth. Visitors to the New York display met Rebecca Stead, New York author and 2010 Newbery winner, who autographed copies of her award winning book, When You Reach Me.

For more information and pictures of New York State and the National Book Festival visit the New York State Library, Library Development page.

Twitter librarians

In an attempt to help participants in a webinar about Twitter that he did last year, Bill Drew, a librarian at the Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) Library, created a webpage of people, libraries, and organizations that may serve as a good place to start following on Twitter. It is described as very subjective and includes people and libraries that have told him they are willing to be followed and willing to help others learn to use Twitter. The page is HERE. The website he created for the webinar is HERE. It is open for the world to use and will be subject to change as he sees fit.

Every Street, Not Wall Street Community Forum.

Thursday, October 14 · 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location Arbor Hill / West Hill Library
148 Henry Johnson Blvd
Albany, NY

More Info Ever wish you could tell your congressman how you feel about the decisions he's making? The decisions that have such an impact on your life?

Ever wish you could tell your state senator you’re tired of living in fear of losing your job, tired of struggling to afford health care and fed up with not seeing your kids get the education they deserve?

Ever wish you could tell them you do care, you do vote and they have to listen to you?...

Well, now’s your chance. On October 14th at the new library on Henry Johnson Blvd Congressman Paul Tonko, State Senator Neil Breslin and Albany Common Council member Barbara Smith will be listening to your concerns and telling you what they are doing to make sure that Every Street Not just Wall Street sees government working for them.

RSVP HERE

Details:
What: Every Street Not Wall Street Community Forum
When: Thursday October 14, 5:30-7:30
Where: Arbor Hill / West Hill Library, 148 Henry Johnson Blvd, off street parking available
Who:
• YOU
• Congressman Paul Tonko
• State Senator Neil Breslin
• Albany Common Council, Barbara Smith

NANOvember 2010

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) cordially invites you to join the annual celebration of "NANOvember," a month-long adventure into the exciting world of nanotechnology.
Please plan to attend any of a series of events and activities - all of which are free and open to the public - that showcase nanotechnology and the global leadership of CNSE in the most important science of the 21st century.

Pre-register for CNSE NANOvember events

Help spread the word! Click here for a NANOvember flyer to pass along to your family and friends.

CNSE Community Day
Saturday, November 6, 11:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m.
CNSE invites residents of the Capital Region, Tech Valley and New York State to tour CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex and receive an up-close look at the exciting world of nanotechnology.

CNSE Community Lecture Series

Monday, November 1, 6:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m.
CNSE Community Lecture Series presents Dr. John Elter
Explore the idea of using nature as a model in science as Dr. John Elter, Executive Director of CNSE's Center for Sustainable Ecosystem Nanotechnologies, discusses biomimicry.

Monday, November 8, 6:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m.
CNSE Community Lecture Series presents Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros
Learn about the potential of nanotechnology, its growing impact on all facets of society, and the global leadership of CNSE and NYS with Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, CNSE's Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer.

Monday, November 15, 6:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m.
CNSE Community Lecture Series presents Dr. Matthew Hynd
Find out how innovative neuroscience research is being conducted with the use of nanotechnology at a lecture presented by CNSE Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience Dr. Matthew Hynd.

Monday, November 22, 6:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m.
CNSE Community Lecture Series presents Dr. Robert Geer
Learn how nanotechnology education is driving exciting 21st century careers with CNSE Vice President for Academic Affairs and CNSE Chief Academic Officer Dr. Robert Geer.

Nano at the Y
Saturday, November 13, 9:30 a.m - 12:00 p.m.
Experience nanotechnology, a science that is driving our technological future and the future of our region, with hands-on activities led by CNSE faculty and staff at seven of the Capital District YMCA branches.

NanoCSI
Thursday, November 18, 6:00 p.m - 7:30 p.m.
Discover how nanotechnology is being used to advance DNA testing and other technologies used in crime scene investigations at this interactive lecture with CNSE Associate Professor of Nanobioscience Dr. Scott Tenenbaum.

Nanotechnology & Video Games
Saturday, November 20, 12:00 p.m - 2:30 p.m.
Delve into the large impact of nanotechnology on the evolution of video games with interactive gaming terminals and a lecture by CNSE Associate Professor of Nanoscience Dr. Vincent LaBella.

Awful Library Books

The best of the worst books found on public library shelves..

Librarians, bibliophiles and lovers of nostalgia are all welcome here.

This site is a collection of public library holdings that we find amusing and maybe questionable for public libraries trying to maintain a current and relevant collection. Contained in this site are actual library holdings. No libraries are specifically mentioned to protect our submitters who might disagree with a particular collection policy. (A good librarian would probably be able to track down the holding libraries without too much trouble anyway...)

L is for Libraries

"For some peo­ple it’s a church or place of wor­ship which is a refuge, a safe loca­tion to take a step out of every­day life and to breath. I’ve always headed straight for a library when I need safety and respite from the daily grind or when prob­lems need attention."

More HERE.

Small Nonprofits in Danger of Losing Tax-Exempt Status

From Guidestar:

"Time is running out for small nonprofits facing loss of tax-exempt status because they have not filed Form 990-N or Form 990-EZ for three consecutive years. The deadline for the IRS's one-time filing relief program is October 15, 2010. After that, nonprofits that (1) are required to file a 990 and (2) whose filings are at least three years in arrears will automatically lose their exemptions. To regain tax-exempt status, they will have to apply to the IRS all over again, a process that can take several months and requires payment of fees."

I went through the list and found over 200 with ZIP Codes starting with 1220.

HRVH Historical Newspapers website launch

The Southeastern NY Library Resources Council is pleased to announce the launch of a new website, http://news.hrvh.org/ HRVH Historical Newspapers , part of the Hudson River Valley Heritage (HRVH) service. The Kingston Daily Freeman is the first newspaper to be included in this new digital newspaper repository and was completely digitized for the years 1903 to 1912. The entire contents of the newspaper issues can be searched by word and browsed by date. Complete issues of the newspaper can be viewed by full page or individual articles can be highlighted and viewed. This collection will be invaluable to historians, family researchers, teachers and students.

HRVH Historical Newspapers is the product of a two year demonstration project supported in part by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. Using this grant and other New York State funds, SENYLRC created images and digitized 2,974 issues and 26,341 pages of The Kingston Daily Freeman from microfilm and print issues of the newspaper. The Kingston Library supplied copies of the microfilm and the City of Kingston Historian provided 106 year old print copies of the newspaper for this project.

HRVH Historical Newspapers is freely available for public use. The goal is to have the newspaper site linked from as many library websites and portals as possible so that people know that this resource is available for them to use for their research.
The vision for HRVH Historical Newspapers is to provide access to digitized copies of historical newspapers from the Hudson River Valley region of New York State. New titles added to HRVH Historical Newspapers will be based on a number of factors, such as regional significance, the availability of paper issues or master negative microfilm copies of the newspaper, and available funds.

Feel free to share this information.
***
Newspaper article about the project.

The Handbook for New Public Library Directors in New York State

Interesting item buried in my e-mails from January: the publication of The Handbook for New Public Library Directors in New York State by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Coordinator for Library Growth & Sustainability at the Mid-Hudson Library System and current President of the NYLA Library Administration & Management Section.

"This 'New Directors’ Handbook', developed as a companion to the Handbook for Library Trustees of New York State, is an essential resource for everyone who is given the responsibility to manage a public library; or anyone who aspires to. Aimed at those just beginning in this challenging career, the Handbook focuses on the critical first steps toward success and follows through with a practical approach to continued organizational and professional growth. Though written for the newest administrator, even those with many years as a director will benefit from this fresh review of the job.

The Handbook is freely available for review and download.

FRIENDS PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 12, 2010

Book Review: The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education by Diane Ravitch.
Reviewer: Raymond Colucciello, Ed.D., Superintendent, City School District of Albany, New York.

Business quotes

Every month, Forbes magazine has a page of quotes at the back of the magazine - "Thoughts and Quotes on the Business of Life". Here's the link to the online database.

UAlbany's Annual Security Report

A copy of the University at Albany's Annual Security Report is now available for your information. This report, which includes campus crime statistics, is prepared in compliance with the "Jean Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act" (formerly called and more commonly known as the "Campus Security Act") and can be accessed at this web site.

This report contains recently updated information for calendar year 2009 and comprises statistics for the previous two years as well. It includes numbers for reported crimes that occur on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University at Albany; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault and alcohol use on campus.

Book & Author Lunch November 13

Please mark your calendar for the Friends annual Book & Author Lunch at noon on Saturday, November 13th. We will honor writer and history professor Allen Ballard at the University Club and later at the library where he will speak.

Invitations will be sent out shortly.

The movie Crash - free, with discussion to follow

ALBANY FRIENDS MEETING (Quaker), 727 Madison, invites YOU to the movies with
popcorn and drinks Friday, October 8 at 6:30 pm --all FREE


Crash(2005) R
Description: Tensions erupt when the tangled lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge over a 36-hour period in the diverse metropolis of post-9/11 Los Angeles.

A discussion will follow the movie.

A possible outcome:
Following an honest, not complimentary talk about Quaker history around racism, at Quaker meeting in February, a spirited discussion emerged on current racism experiences and news. This 'Friendly Discussion' group comprised of European and African Americans from the Quaker Meeting and the community, began meeting monthly. The success of this experience has led to the desire to form a second group.

A second 'Friendly Discussion' group will perhaps form following this movie to
continue meeting and sharing current racism issues.

For more information, contact Barbara Spring, Racism Concerns Comm, 518-772-2290 barbarakspring4@msn.com

UAlbany Fall Festival and Book Fair Features Top Authors and Great Fun

October 9 event boasts nearly 30 UAlbany authors, a farmers' market, and student performances.

Grace White leaving town

Longtime Board member Grace White is leaving the area.

She will be missed.

Message from UAlbany President George Philip - October 1, 2010

Dear Members of the Campus Community:

This afternoon, I held a Town Hall meeting to inform the campus community of some of the difficult "next steps" the University at Albany will be taking to address its ongoing budget challenges. If you were unable to attend this meeting given the unfortunate timing, please understand that the decision to deliver this message on a Friday afternoon was not our preferred choice. It was necessary due to the limited availability of appropriate large venue options - particularly, since the Campus Center is undergoing renovation.

For those unable to join us today, I want to take this opportunity to share with you my message.

This year's State Budget reduced the level of State assistance to our campus by nearly $12 million. In fact, over the past three years, the campus has cumulatively suffered more than $33.5 million in State tax support reductions - more than a 30% decline. Since 2008, we have addressed these reductions to our revenue base through the elimination of approximately 200 vacant lines resulting from resignations and retirements, a soft-hiring freeze, reductions in non-personal expenditures and temporary service, reductions in graduate student support, a moratorium on non-essential travel, energy savings, operational efficiencies and more.

As I have said many times before, non-strategic and opportunistic short-term measures are simply not compatible with operating an organization on a sustainable basis. In the face of diminishing State support, these types of cuts are a clear pathway to mediocrity. It remains critically important for the University to rethink and rebalance its core academic and research mission given its reduced revenue base, and reallocate resources accordingly.

As late as August, we remained hopeful that passage of the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, including predictable and rational tuition in the future, would be adopted. If adopted as originally proposed, this landmark reform, coupled with sustained state assistance, would have helped us to address our current budgetary challenges, while at the same time, provide our campus with the tools and resources necessary to advance our academic enterprise. Regrettably, neither financial nor regulatory relief were enacted during the 2010 Legislative session.

As you may know, over the past several years, we have engaged the University community in numerous discussions about the principles that should guide budget-related decisions. I am most grateful for the perspectives and guidance provided by the Budget Advisory Groups I, II, and III, along with the University-wide strategic planning committee.

Like several other SUNY campuses, the University is now at a point where we must analyze, evaluate and consider implementing measures that reallocate resources and eliminate some existing programs. Such actions will potentially affect a number of units across the campus.

As we enter this period of further communication and dialogue, the University anticipates that the actions discussed today will unfold over a two-year period. By the end of 2012, we expect that the equivalent of another 160 full time positions will be eliminated - bringing the campus total to over 360 positions eliminated over the four-year period starting in 2008. To the extent possible, it is our sincere hope and intention to minimize the disruption across the University by achieving the majority of the reductions through attrition resulting from the early retirement incentive program, voluntary resignations and other future vacancies. Notwithstanding these efforts, by the end of this process, I regret that involuntary terminations of employment will be unavoidable.

It is important to underscore that administrative and support units have and will continue to shoulder a higher percentage of the cost savings measures adopted, which is consistent with the University's priority of protecting the academic mission. Based on what we know now, in this fiscal year and next, administrative units will absorb an additional 10% reduction in their state operating budgets, while colleges and schools will experience an additional 7% reduction. Over the four-year period ending in 2012, administrative units will have suffered a reduction in their state operating budgets of nearly 22.4%, while colleges and schools will have realized a 16.2% reduction. Of the reductions between 2008-2012, we anticipate that nearly three-quarters of the workforce actions will relate to professional and support staff, while the remaining will be faculty positions. These disproportionate reductions are consistent and in line with the values, advice and guidance I have received from the campus advisory groups previously mentioned.

In addition to job losses already incurred, our administrative and support units are being forced to implement additional budget actions that have and will continue to result in reductions in hours of service operations, diminished employee and student services university-wide, cutbacks in general operational and physical plant support, and more.

It is important to note that every possible effort is being made to ensure that the health and safety of our campus community is not compromised.

Once again, we are striving to manage future reductions in ways that will mitigate the impact on our existing employees. The University is also exploring administrative consolidations, ITS efficiencies, as well as conducting a comprehensive review of the expenditures associated with our athletics program in order to achieve additional savings.

Unfortunately, these efforts in the administrative and extra-curricular areas are by themselves not enough. The University's academic program will be further impacted. The Provost and Deans from each of the schools and colleges have been working closely over the past two years to consider and implement reduction scenarios as our fiscal challenges worsened. I am sure all of the faculty have observed and felt the impact of these changes as professional conference support has dried up, academic support services have diminished, assistantships have declined, some departments have become smaller, and class sizes have become larger. Many program changes are already underway to accommodate the current resource picture. No school or college has been exempt from these reductions, and some areas have in fact borne more of the burden only because of the opportunistic way in which the cuts had to be managed in the short term.

Going forward, Provost Phillips and I will continue to work with the Deans, Chairs, and applicable governance bodies to sustain the University's capacity to offer strong academic programs in areas of high student demand. In addition to the program changes already underway, we now must begin consideration of further actions, given the requirements of the academic calendar and the cycles associated with student and faculty recruitment.

As a first step in this more difficult phase of reallocation planning, I have issued a directive today to suspend all new admissions to five program areas - Classics, French, Italian, Russian, and Theatre. Provost Phillips and Dean Wulfert met earlier today with the faculty in each of these program areas to communicate this action and begin a discussion about the future.
This decision was based on an extensive consultative process with faculty, and in recognition that there are comparatively fewer students enrolled in these degree programs.

It is important to recognize that this action is by no means a reflection about the quality of the faculty appointed to these programs, or frankly about the value of these subjects to the liberal arts. They are and continue to be valued scholars and colleagues. The University will continue to offer a broad array of arts and humanities courses in its curriculum.

We have also taken steps in preparation for the final year of Project Renaissance - the student living learning community for first-year students. I have asked the University Senate to provide consultation to me on further action with regard to all of these program areas.

I am mindful that the identification of these specific programs makes it appear that the College of Arts and Sciences is bearing a disproportionate reduction. I want to assure you that larger reductions across the other schools and colleges are being addressed, but simply in different ways. I have asked the Provost to begin the process of initiating other program consolidations and efficiencies. While the magnitude of the reduction requires significant participation from all units, our approach will continue to be derived from the advice and guidance of each of the Budget Advisory processes: to be strategic and differentiated with a view towards the future and the goals articulated in our Strategic Plan.

In taking these actions, I also want to share with you two important principles that the University will uphold. First, the University remains fully committed to ensuring that all our students will have an opportunity to complete the specific major/program to which they have already been admitted. Equally important, the campus is committed to supporting faculty and staff impacted by resource reallocation and program decisions by providing opportunities to seek placement at another UAlbany program, to explore placement at another SUNY campus, if available, and/or to pursue retraining, where required.

As a point of clarification, I want to remind the campus community that there is a distinct difference between capital and operating funds and how they can be used. In recent months, you have noticed there is a significant level of capital construction taking place on campus. It is important to realize that State of New York prohibits SUNY campuses from using SUNY capital funding for operating related expenses, such as faculty and staff. This type of funding can ONLY be used for capital construction and improvement, as well as large equipment purchases.

Lastly, I have apprised the University Council of the campus's budget situation, and have fully reviewed with them the actions and the next steps the University intends on taking. Our Council members support us with confidence that UAlbany will continue to be nationally recognized as a center of excellence for education, research, and service.

Please be assured that I will continue to keep you informed of future developments. I also invite you to visit the Budget Update webpage on the University's MyUAlbany portal.

Once again, thank you for your dedication and support of the University at Albany.

Sincerely yours,

George M. Philip
President

Colorado Ballot Backers: Shut Libraries, Sell Rail

By STEVEN K. PAULSON
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9IJ46GO0.htm The Associated Press
October 1, 2010, 4:23PM ET
Bloomberg Business Week

Supporters of three tax measures on the Colorado ballot say state and local governments could close libraries and put their books online and sell off light rail to cut spending if the measures pass.

Gregory Golyansky, vice president of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, told students and professors from the University of Colorado Denver on Friday that printed books are going away and light rail is 19th century technology.

"Do we really need to fill our prisons with nonviolent offenders, drug offenders, prostitutes and what not? We will have about two-thirds less people in our prisons. Government doesn't need to be involved in building golf courses or exercise facilities or ice rinks. Libraries are going away. Paper books are the yesterday technology, being replaced by online information. Government should stop subsidizing things like light rail. It's essentially a 19th century technology," Golyansky said....

Opponents of the measures - Proposition 101, which would reduce automobile and telecommunications taxes; Amendment 60, which would cancel voter-approved tax-limit overrides; and Amendment 61, which would limit municipal borrowing and bar state debt - said state and local governments face draconian cuts if the measures pass.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act : Stimulus in New York State

A quarterly report by Governor David A. Paterson's Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Cabinet was issued in August. "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Stimulus in New York State" provides an overview of projects, with charts and data, involving Job Training, Transportation, Clean Water, Housing, Energy, and Public Safety.

This report is available online HERE (pdf) and follows (chronologically if not bibliographically) reports from the New York State Inspector General's Stimulus Oversight Panel which are available HERE.

Radical Homemakers Author at Delaware Branch Oct. 4

“Radical Homemakers” author Shannon Hayes will appear at the Delaware Branch Library on Monday, Oct. 4, at 5:30 p.m. for a reading, discussion, and book signing.

“Radical Homemakers” uncovers a hidden revolution quietly taking hold across the United States. It is the story of pioneering men and women who are redefining feminism and the good life by adhering to simple principles of ecological sustainability, social justice, community engagement, and family well-being.

More HERE.

FRIENDS PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 5, 2010

Book Review: Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy by Diana Preston.
Reviewer: David Colchamiro, M.R.P., retired transportation analyst.

Albany 2030: Your Future

Just a reminder that the first meeting of the Round 3 Workshops is tonight (Th) at 6:30 at Albany High School. If you haven't been to a meeting before, don't worry, you can just jump right in with our interactive priority and budgeting activities! You'll be deciding what type of neighborhood investment takes priority, where transportation improvements should be made, and how much of the budget should be dedicated to building the local economy.

As always, the workshops are free and open to everyone. Bring your friends, neighbors and colleagues. Parking at each location is free, and light refreshments will be provided. Kids are welcome, and they'll be raffling off great local prizes for free! Remember that all three days have the same agenda, so plan on attending one and make your priorities their priorities.

All of the meetings have the same agenda. So if you can't make it tonight, come to Friday or Saturday's session.
Round 3 Workshops:
Thursday, September 30
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Albany High School Cafeteria
700 Washington Avenue

Friday, October 1
9:00 AM – Noon
North Albany YMCA Gymnasium
616 North Pearl Street

Saturday, October 2
1:00PM – 4:00PM
Hackett Middle School Cafeteria
45 Delaware Avenue

If you can't make it to one of the meetings, look for more ways to participate online at www.albany2030.org.

Are You Following APL on Twitter?

Here's the Albany Public Library Twitter link. Please share it with anyone you think would be interested in APL!

http://twitter.com/albanypublib

Anger as a Private Company Takes Over Libraries

A private equity-backed company in Maryland has taken over public libraries in ailing cities in California, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas, growing into the country's fifth-largest library system.

Now the company, Library Systems & Services, has been hired for the first time to run a system in a relatively healthy city, Santa Clarita, Calif., setting off an intense and often acrimonious debate about the role of outsourcing in a ravaged economy, The New York Times's David Streitfeld writes.

No, not THAT Engelbert Humperdincks

Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel
Saturday, October 2 at 8pm
Recital Hall - $10 / $5 students, faculty-staff & seniors
Hubbard Hall Opera Theater presents Englebert Humperdinck's classic dark opera in a concert version accompanied by pianist Michael Clement.

The University at Albany Department of Music is pleased to present Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre in a concert version of Engelbert Humperdincks Hansel and Gretel on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 8pm in the Recital Hall of the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on the uptown campus. The opera will feature Alexina Jones, Kara Cornell, Irina Petrik, Julian Whitley, Victoria Tralongo, Hillary Esqueda and Olivia Mogul accompanied by pianist Michael Clement.

The operatic telling of Hansel and Gretel began as a simple request from Adelheid Wette to her older brother, Engelbert Humperdinck, to set four songs she had written based on the Brothers Grimm story of the same name. After many revisions and a year later, the fully realized opera received its premier on Christmas day in 1892 under the baton of Richard Strauss who called it ...a masterpiece of highest quality Humperdincks unique synthesis of traditional German folk songs with Wagnerian influences and techniques resulted in an instant and overwhelming success. In fact, it remains to this day one of the most popular operas in standard repertoire.

Building off of the rich tradition of arts in the Cambridge Valley, Hubbard Hall Opera Theater (HHOT) seeks to bring another element of culture to Hubbard Hall, an already bustling arts center. The mission of HHOT is to provide classically trained singers and instrumentalists in New England and upstate New York greater opportunities to create something beautiful close to home, while also giving rural audiences the chance to enjoy an opera without having to spend the night in a city to do so.

Mezzo-soprano Kara Cornell has performed leading roles with Stony Brook Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Center City Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Musaic Concert Series and locally with Capital Opera and Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre. She will return to the UAlbany Performing Arts Center stage on March 20, 2011 for a duet performance with soprano Lisa Eden entitled Sisters in Song.

A lyric coloratura soprano, Alexina Jones is a graduate of NYU's Steinhardt School who, since moving to upstate New York, has performed with Lake George Opera, Capital Opera and Hubbard Hall Opera Theatre.

Originally from the city of Kiev, Irina Petrik found her love of singing as a soprano soloist with Kiev Youth Symphony. She has performed with The State Philharmonic of Ukraine, Kiev Operetta House, Bay Area Russian Festival, Atlanta Folk Orchestra, Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra, C-R Productions at Cohoes Music Hall, Lake George Opera and Balalaika & Domra Association of America.

A talented singer and actress in both dramatic and comic roles, soprano Victoria Tralongo has appeared with opera companies and orchestras throughout the U.S. and Italy. Recently she has been seen in performances with New Jersey State Opera, Center Stage Opera, Riverside Opera, Opera in the Heights, New York Opera Productions, Chelsea Opera and Regina Opera.

Baritone Julian Whitleys performances have most recently been with Tri-Cities Opera. He has also performed with Opera of the Hamptons and Eastman Opera Theatre as well as the renowned Berkshire Theatre Festival, where he sang over fifty performances of the title role in Bernsteins Candide last summer.

Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for students, seniors & UAlbany faculty/staff and may be purchased through the UAlbany Performing Arts Center Box Office. For further information, contact the Box Office at (518) 442-3997.

'A City with a Great Library is a Great City'

By Penny Font; Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Business Report

In reality, public library parking lots are packed. Patrons usage has accelerated for the better part of a decade and is setting new recordsparticularly during the recession, according to separate studies by the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Nationwide, visits to public libraries last year totaled 1.4 billion, or nearly five per capita. Thats up 17% from two years ago...

An evolution

So how is it that libraries manage to remain relevant in an era when research is as close as the home computer and books and magazines can be downloaded in mere seconds?

The phenomenon is attributable to a mixture of evolution and recession.

More than a decade ago, libraries were mainly bastions of information, quiet places where the studious toiled away in the stacks and carrels. Sure, kids could check out books, but they'd better be seen and not heard.

But the ready availability of information through technology has forced libraries to adapt. Theres a new dominant model now: library as community centerless about books, more about people.

These days, those centers boast coffee houses and caf. Puppet shows. Concerts. Lectures. Art galleries. Clubs. Wi-Fi. Language courses. Computer training. Job search assistance. Meeting rooms. Tutoring. Workforce training. Tax assistance. Movies. Yoga classes. Parties with authors. Legal advice. Online databases. And you can, of course, still check out booksor download them. All of it is free.

Suzanne M. Stauffer, an assistant professor in the LSU School of Library and Information Science, says libraries have always been about more than just providing information, but they are indeed rediscovering their historic role as community centers.

There is a resurgence of this desire for community, and were all looking for a place to come together, she says. The library is neutral. It's not political; its not religious; its not commercial. Everybody can come and use it; it doesnt matter what your philosophy is. Its a place you can go and have your educational, informational and recreational needs met.

Robert Ward, an associate professor in the LSU School of Library and Information Science, calls the concept an information commons approach...

BFF, Hashtag, Unfriend and Other Additions to the Oxford Dictionary

CBSNews.com
HomeBlogsTech Talk
September 20, 2010

In another sign that the digital world is permeating society, the Oxford
American Dictionary revealed additions to its lexicon last week, adopting
the language of texting, tweeting and social networking. Below are some of
the new inclusions:

BFF n. (pl. BFFs) informal a girl's best friend: my BFF's boyfriend is
cheating on her. - ORIGIN 1996: from the initial letters of best friend
forever.

cloud computing n. the practice of using a network of remote servers
hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a
local server or a personal computer...

hashtag n. (on social networking websites such as Twitter) a hash or pound
sign (#) used to identify a particular keyword or phrase in a posting...

social media n. [treated as sing. or pl.] websites and applications used
for social networking.

social networking n. the use of dedicated websites and applications to
communicate informally with other users, or to find people with similar
interests to oneself.

unfriend v. [with obj.] informal remove (someone) from a list of friends
or contacts on a social networking site: she broke up with her boyfriend,
but she hasn't unfriended him.

UAlbany Year in Review

Here is the University at Albany Year in Review 2009-2010.

NewYorkHeritage.org adds collections

New York Heritage Digital Collections has recently added twelve new collections to its cooperative site at newyorkheritage.org, including the Bowers Collection from the Broome County Historical Society, Historic Paintings Unwrapped from the History Center of Tompkins County, the Daughters of Charity Collection from the Lourdes Hospital, the Crandall Public Library Center for Folklife, History, and Cultural Programs Digital Collections, and the Digital Collections of Albany Law School.

NewYorkHeritage.org is a project of the NY 3Rs Association, which uses OCLC’s CONTENTdm Multisite Server to bring previously digitized collections together, allowing researchers to search across all items simultaneously. This project provides free, online access to images of cultural and historical significance in New York State.

Participants in New York Heritage Digital Collections are committed to enhancing the site by adding both content and contributing institutions on a regular basis. The goal of the project is to eventually connect one thousand collections and one million items from throughout New York State. All institutions interested in participating in the project are encouraged to complete this online form.

The New York 3Rs Association is a partnership among New York’s nine reference and research resource systems. The New York 3Rs was incorporated in 2003 to further the ability of those systems to provide statewide services. The members of the New York 3Rs Association are: the Capital District Library Council, Central New York Library Resources Council, Long Island Library Resources Council, Metropolitan New York Library Council, Northern New York Library Network, Rochester Regional Library Council, Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, South Central Regional Library Council, and Western New York Library Resources Council.

Friends of Albany Public Library September meeting agenda

The Friends of Albany Public Library, Inc.

Agenda for 27 September 2010, 5 to 6 pm

Meeting on the second floor of the Albany Public Library—Main Branch

Meeting Room 1

Reports

President: Gene Damm (includes announcement of joint event with the Writers Institute)
Vice President: NA
Corresponding Secretary: Judi Baum
Recording Secretary: Jonathan Skinner
Treasurer: Nancy Dover (includes explanation of the paper trail for expenses & reminder of the Bylaw requirement for Board approval of expenses over $100.00)

Committees

Book Reviews: Len Tucker (November), Gene (October)
Fall Local Author Event: Joe Krausman
Communications from the Library

Old Business

Database quality.

New Business

1 Filling the vacant VP office (proposal to ask Gene to find a volunteer for this with subsequent ratification by the Board of Directors)
2 Tuesday book review issues:
a. No duplication of reviews: at most one review for a given book
b. Buy the books for the reviewer only after the book, reviewer, & date have been set.

Adjournment

Next Meeting Date: 25 October 2010, 5 to 6 pm

Next Meeting Location: Meeting Room 1, Albany Public Library—Main Branch (Second Floor)


Date of this document: 9 September 2010

Submitted by Jonathan Skinner, Recording Secretary

Oops. Kindle Cannot Support Library Books

By Vince Horiuchi
The Salt Lake Tribune
Published Sep 13, 2010 01:16PM

Last week, in a question about which e-book reader is best, I was asked which is a good model for renting digital downloadable books from public libraries.

In a sudden fit of brain cramps, I wrote that Amazons Kindle e-reader can download library books. WRONG!

I later learned from a batch of readers and the Salt Lake County Library that the libraries in fact do not support the Kindle. My bad...

But if I read the fine print on the librarys website, I would have realized that the PDF books rented out by the library use DRM, or digital rights management, to protect the files from being copied. Unfortunately, the Kindle does not support that kind of DRM. Why?...

At this point, they want customers of the Kindle and iPad to purchase the files hence, not making them available from their local library.

NYCLU TO HOST BANNED BOOK EVENTS IN ALBANY AND TROY

ALBANY—This fall, the Capital Region Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union will host events in Albany and Troy that celebrate Americans’ cherished freedom to express ideas and opinions, even if they are unorthodox or unpopular.

The Albany “Read Out” event will be held at the Upstate Artists Guild Gallery at 247 Lark Street on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

On Friday, Sept. 24 the chapter will host a “Read Out” event during the Troy Night Out celebration from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 260 Broadway, corner of Third and Broadway in downtown Troy.

Each year these “Read Out” events bring together well known local writers and media personalities to read from their favorite banned and challenged books. This year’s roster includes: Frankie Bailey, author of mystery novels and non-fiction histories, including Wicked Albany: Lawlessness and Liquor in the Prohibition Era; Diane Cameron, Albany writer and teacher whose columns appear in the Times Union; Joe Donahue, host of WAMC’s daily Roundtable program; Libby Post, founding chair of the Empire State Pride Agenda and frequent media commentator; and Dan Wilcox, poet and peace activist who has hosted regular “open mic” poetry events at the Social Justice Center since 1997.

Books are banned or challenged every year in communities across the nation for any number of reasons. Here’s a small sampling of books that have been banned or challenged in the U.S. during the past decade: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; The Color Purple by Alice Walker; Beloved and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison; Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut; Sophie’s Choice by William Styron; and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien.

Banned Books Week has been celebrated each year since 1982. It is sponsored by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of American Publishers, and the National Association of College Stores. It is also endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
The NYCLU Capital Region Chapter is the local branch of the New York Civil Liberties Union, which is the state affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. The Capital Region Chapter serves eight counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington.

Vatican's Magnificent Library Restored After 3 Years

$11.5 Million Restoration
Researchers Can Use the Library, But Only the Pope Can Borrow a Book
By ANN WISE
ROME Sept.13, 2010

"Fight for Libraries as you do for Freedom"

Atlanta Journal-Chronicle article by author Karin Slaughter (Broken). One quote: "This is why the funding of American libraries should be a matter of national security. Keeping libraries open, giving access to all children to all books is vital to our nation’s sovereignty."

Library information desk

This desk is made of recycled books. These pictures don’t do justice to how lovely it looks : very tactile and appealing.

SeeThroughNY Posts 189 Updated School Labor Contracts

Updated school labor contracts for 77 teacher unions and 112 school superintendents were posted this week on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center's government transparency web site.

The newest contracts are part of the most comprehensive public collection of school district labor contracts in New York. Contracts for the 733 school districts and BOCES districts were obtained under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518.434.3100

Public School Educators: Help Solve Challenges

If you are a public school educator, check out the Department of Education's Open Innovation Portal.
Through the portal, you can help to identify and solve education's most pressing classroom problems. Participating will allow you to connect with other innovators and possibly win a prize.

Library Card Sign-Up Month

If you don't already have a library card, consider this a nudge to get one.
In addition to providing an assortment of books, your local library may also have videos, CDs, Internet access, story hours for children, and more.
Locate a Public Library Near You.
Ask a Librarian.
Visit National Libraries Online.

Free Online Tool for Job Seekers

A new, free online tool to help job seekers increase their career mobility and economic prospects has been developed by the Federal Department of Labor / Employment Training Administration.

The self-paced tool helps people who were previously employed to:
(1) use their previous experience to identify occupations for which they qualify
(2) identify the skills needed to qualify for a specific job
(3) identify appropriate education or training institutions

AND
The site also provides links to relevant job opportunities in national and state job banks.

Link to mySkills myFuture

Libraries will Survive

This is a link to a long video but it is worth the 10 minutes of your time.

RARE PUBLIC EXHIBIT OF LINCOLN’S HANDWRITTEN PRELIMINARY EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

A rare, one day only public exhibit of one of the nation’s greatest documentary treasures, a handwritten copy of President Abraham Lincoln’s Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, will be part of a celebration commemorating the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln hosted by the New York State Library.

The manuscript copy of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, part of the New York State Library’s collection, will be on display for one day on September 19th in the Carole Huxley Theater in the New York State Museum, 222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free.

More HERE.

NYS Transportation Equity Forum 9/21

NYS Transportation Equity Alliance (NYSTEA) is sponsoring a meeting in Albany on Tuesday, September 21 at 7 pm at the Main branch of the Albany Public Library to introduce its mission and meet with Capital District partners.

Please see the attached flyer and consider attending.

Help eba win grant

eba Dance Theater has a great opportunity to win a $250,000 grant from Pepsi!

eba need your help to vote for eba through the link created on the website at www.eba-arts.org

The grant would enable eba to create a fitness center on the 1st floor of its historic building on Lark Street in the heart of Albany. Dance will continue in the 2nd floor theater. When the local YMCA moved, a void in the fitness arena was created in the community. Adding a fitness center will better utilize eba’s studio space, meet a real community need and keep eba's arts programs available.

The arts have been hit very hard by this recession. The fitness center will allow eba to use program funds for arts programming and the fitness center can take care of the building. A win-win! The winners of the Pepsi Refresh program are determined by online votes.

The two projects with the most votes win. You can vote once a day - every day -
during the month of September. If you and your friends vote for eba each day, it can win this funding. If you’d like, eba can send a daily e-mail reminder so you can reply with single click to vote. Just sign up at www.eba-arts.org today.

Libraries awarded stimulus funds

On Monday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced 35 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investments to “will fund projects that pave the way to bring enhanced high-speed Internet access to millions of households and businesses and link thousands of schools, hospitals, libraries, and public safety offices to the information superhighway.”

UAlbany accreditation

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted to reaffirm the University at Albany's accreditation and commended UAlbany "for the quality of the self-study process."

The final self-study document, along with the statement of reaccreditation, is available on the wiki HERE.

Jazz Benefit for the Underground Railroad Project

Don't Miss Out!

Bobby Sanabria and Quarteto Ache` are playing their special rythmic blends from various Latin traditions

When? Sunday, September 19th from 4pm - 8pm

Where? The Van Dyck at 237 Union Street in Schenectady

For: Underground Railroad History Project's 6th annual Jazz event fundraiser

Seating is limited - get your tickets now - online at www.ugrworkshop.com or by calling 518-253-3529

Don't Miss Out! Tickets are $55! Silent Auction!

This event is organized in cooperation with Jazz/Latino, Inc. founded by Dr. Jose Cruz and is a benefit for the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.

Free Shredding in Albany's Washington Park for City Residents

The City of Albany is having its shredding/recycling event Saturday, September 11 at Washington Park Lake House from 10a.m. to 1 p.m. City residents: "Bring your documents that need shredding and they will be shredded on site. This event is for personal papers and documents, no commercial please. Limit 3 boxes/bags per person." We've been saving up our unsolicited credit card offers ever since we heard about it. The provider of the shredding "is AAA certified by the National Association for Information Destruction."

CDTA TO CELEBRATE 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH 40 CENT RIDE DAY

(Albany, NY) – The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) is currently celebrating 40 years of service. In honor of this milestone, CDTA will roll back to its original fare on Thursday, September 16, 2010. For this one day, people who use CDTA’s regular route, STAR, and NX Northway Commuter services may ride any bus for just 40 cents.

CDTA has served more than half a billion customers on its regular route system since it started in 1970. “We’re proud of our 40 years of service to the Capital Region, delivering innovative transportation solutions while making a strong economical and environmental impact along the way,” said CDTA Chairwoman Denise Figueroa. “To thank our loyal customers and our community for their steadfast support over the years, we are winding back to the original 40-cent fare for this one day only. Moving forward, we will continue to improve, expand and adapt to the changing transportation needs of the Capital Region.”

Note: 40 cents per ride - Customers who participate in the 40 cent fare promotion must use exact change in the fare box as neither the fare boxes or operators can give change.
Note: STAR service IS INCLUDED in this promotion.

Third Thursday Poetry Night

September 16 · 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Location The Social Justice Center
33 Central Ave.
Albany, NY

Featured poet John Roche with an open mic before & after the feature for community poets. $3.00 Donation

Government Challenges, Contests, and Prizes

Visit Challenge.gov to participate in government contests and challenges for the chance to win a variety of prizes (monetary or non-monetary).
You may be challenged to solve a problem, make a suggestion, shoot and upload a video, create a logo, build an online game, invent something, and much more. A new challenge from Kids.gov, for example, calls for posters that answer the question, "How do I become President?" Find more details about this and other challenges.
Even if you don't have a solution for a specific challenge, you can share challenges with friends or sign up to show support for a challenge.

Updated Legislative Spending Posted on Internet

Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada (D-Bronx), spent $880,201 on his legislative office operations and staff in the most recent six-month period reported by the Legislature -- nearly $273,000 more than former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Brunswick) spent during a comparable period in 2008.

Espada's office expenditures and those of other Senators and Assembly members for the six months ending March 31, 2010, was posted today as part of a searchable database on the Empire Center's government transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.

The full text of this press release is available here.

Contact: Tim Hoefer - 518.434.3100

The Legislative Gazette

The Legislative Gazette is "the weekly newspaper of the New York State government" issued each Tuesday in Albany under the auspices of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. It is sponsored and administered by the State University of New York at New Paltz and is produced in part by students.

The Legislative Gazette was not printed during the summer months of 2010 but was issued only online in PDF format. The paper edition resumes on September 7. The most recent edition of the newspaper, five years of digital back issues, and a link to the New York State Library's digital collection can be found at the web site, which also features daily news updates with a live Associated Press wire feed.

Before the Internet Was Your Local Library

Harvey Mackay On Business
Published: 12:00 a.m., Sunday, September 5, 2010
Albany Times Union

Studies show that children who use the library tend to perform better in school. They are also more likely to continue learning and exploring throughout their lives.

If you don't use the library for business, now is a good time to start. We can obtain a high percentage of the information we need via search engines using our home or work computers. But there are a lot of hidden business jewels available at your local library, and many of them can be accessed online.

The average small business or job seeker is penalized by having limited research capabilities. Big companies with big budgets pay for expensive databases. With a mouse click, they can instantly access company data, sort through research reports, and locate current and archived newspaper and trade journal articles. Small companies and individuals who can't afford premium access are left out. Unless they have a local library card.

Most libraries pay for premium subscription databases that you can use for free. Want to use Dun & Bradstreet, ReferenceUSA, or Hoovers to research companies, competitors and build lead lists? There's a good chance your library subscribes to a company search database.

The complete article may be read HERE.

Position at Albany Public Library

Computer Support Technician – Full Time

*Note: This position will be filled as a PROVISIONAL Civil Service appointment. The appointee will be required to qualify for permanent appointment to this position when the next classification test is offered.

General Statement of Duties:
Responsible for set-up, maintenance, and troubleshooting of library computer and audio-visual equipment in all locations. Trains staff and public in use of library technology. Assists with network support and planning, and maintains network hardware and software documentation.

Distinguishing Features of the Class:
This position involves supporting microcomputer systems in a Windows-based networking environment. This position requires strong interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize, make independent judgments, troubleshoot, seek information, independently follow tasks through to completion, communicate results to staff, and document activities. Familiarity with Windows-based microcomputers, Windows XP/Vista workstation operating systems, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, and key components of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite is essential. Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Automation Services Librarian. Does related work as required.

Typical Work Activities (illustrative only):
configures, installs, maintains and repairs microcomputers; assists staff and public with use of hardware and software as needed; performs server maintenance activities, such as back-ups and updates; helps price, search for, evaluate and select microcomputer and server hardware and software; maintains network documentation and software and hardware inventories; drafts equipment procedures; special projects as assigned.

Full Performance Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Personal Characteristics:
Working knowledge of Windows-based microcomputer hardware and software, including Microsoft Windows XP /Vista workstation operating systems, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, and key components of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite; strong communication and organizational skills; good judgment; flexibility; tact and courtesy; strong writing skills; willingness to develop computer skills to keep pace with evolving technologies. Physical condition must be commensurate with the demands of the position.

Minimum Qualifications:
A. Graduation from a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or university or one accredited by the NYS Board of Regents to grant degrees with a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science or a related field, and three (3) years of fulltime paid experience in the operation of personal computers, software applications or peripherals; OR
B. Graduation from a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or one accredited by the NYS Board of Regents to grant degrees with an Associate’s Degree in computer science or a closely related field, and five (5) years of fulltime paid experience in the operation of personal computers, software applications or peripherals; OR
C. Any equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B) above.

Preferred Requirements:
COMPTIA A+ Computer Technician Certification.

Highly desirable: Experience with virtual computing models, remote software deployment, scripting languages, and group policy management in a Windows Server 2003/2008 network environment.

Classification: Computer Support Technician

Supervisor: Information Technology Manager

Work Schedule: 37.5 hours/week in a combination of daytime, evening and weekend hours as needed.

Salary: $42,407.60 or current salary with a generous benefit package.
Resume review begins: October 4, 2010

Apply to: Marjorie Reinhart, Human Resources & Finance Manager, Albany Public Library
161 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
reinharm@uhls.lib.ny.us

Time To Revive The Library?

More Intelligent Life: The Blog

It's no wonder that the world's largest bookseller, with 720 stores around the country, has been wobbling. As we've reported, bricks-and-mortar bookstores are on the outs, except as spots for leisurely coffee and book signings. Online retailers, with their serious discounts and 24-hour availability, have hurt the hegemony of even the grandest bookstores, and more than half of book sales in America take place at big discount retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target. In August Barnes & Noble announced it was putting itself up for sale.

This is of course grim news for those who love to browse and thumb through actual physical books, and share space with others who are doing the same thing. But now would be a good time to recall another community landmark where we once happily did all of those things, and for free: the library. It's true that there is something vaguely titillating about browsing in an atmosphere where the temptations are to purchase and own, not simply borrow and read. It's also true that libraries have felt like dormant, dated spaces of late, where WiFi is absent, coffee is banned and budget cuts are rife. But if book-buying trends now sidestep bookstores, yet people still crave hushed public spaces in an atmosphere of books, then it is time to rethink our libraries: what they look like, what they offer and how they store their wares. (September, incidentally, is Library Card Sign-Up Month in America, but you probably knew that already.)

Libraries at a crossroads

More about problems in Buffalo: Sunday August 29, 2010 Buffalo News, p. F1-F2::

By Charity Vogel, News Staff Reporter Published:August 27 2010, 2:56 PM
Excerpts:
" ... there's only so much money to go around when it comes to buying books and media -- even though there are more formats than ever to spend it on.

Think these are problems just in your own household? Think again. That dilemma -- multiplied a thousandfold -- is the situation currently facing public libraries across Western New York, as well as around the nation."

"... Quinn-Carey, director of the Erie County system, said the system needs to put everything on the table when it comes to planning the future of libraries in Erie County.

County Executive Chris Collins has said he may ask the system to take a significant funding cut in 2011 -- as much as 20 percent. He has also said that while he does not have oversight or control over the library system's budget, he would put branch closures on the agenda of possibilities for the system going forward."

See the full story HERE.

Public Libraries: Diverse Picture of Patrons Emerges

Public Libraries: Diverse Picture of Patrons Emerges Here, Elsewhere
Published: Saturday, August 28, 2010, 7:39 AM Elizabeth Hovde, Oregonian columnist Oregon Live

The American Library Association has a better idea about who uses libraries. A recent report by the University of Washington, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, found that nearly a third of Americans age 14 or older used a public library computer in 2009. It also found that the recession is fueling demand for Internet access and job-finding help in libraries. And while teens are libraries' heaviest computer users, 44 percent of people living below the poverty line used computers and the Internet at their libraries.

A 2008 Harris Poll found that 68 percent of Americans had a library card and that 76 percent had visited a library in the year prior. Newer research shows that library usage is increasing and that the majority of users still go for the actual books, not computers or DVDs.

That large, diverse picture of library users helps me sort things out a bit. It's clear a lot of us -- those who can afford to pay for services, those who cannot and those who simply adore Emily Elizabeth and her enormous red dog Clifford -- still consider libraries a shared community asset worth visiting.