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EqualAccess e-Update! for August 2007
News | Resources | Showcase |
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Lifelong Access Libraries Institute a Big Success!
Libraries for the Future (LFF) held its second annual Lifelong Access Libraries Institute on July 29 - August 31, 2007, in North Carolina. It was co-hosted by UNC's School of Information and Library Science and the Institute on Aging.
The Institute's purpose was to provide public librarians with comprehensive training in developing programming and services for Baby Boomers and older adults. Emphasis was placed on providing opportunities for active learning, creative exploration, and meaningful civic engagement for this age group.
The Institute included several compelling and thought-provoking sessions from experts in both the library and aging fields. For example, anthropologist and author Mary Catherine Bateson presented When Lifelong Learning becomes Active Wisdom, and the American Society of Aging's Patrick Cullinane presented New Theories and Thoughts on Civic Engagement.
The 20 Institute participants (see photo below) were selected through a competitive application process earlier this year. They came from 14 different states, representing public libraries providing services to communities as small as Reading, Massachusetts, and as large as San Francisco.
I truly enjoyed the array of topics presented during the Institute, the thought-provoking presentation by the speakers, and the companionship of bright and friendly colleagues from across the country, said Institute participant Kathleen Moeller-Peiffer from New Jersey.
Interested? A third Lifelong Access Libraries Institute is planned for next year. Look for application information to be posted on the Lifelong Access Libraries site in early 2008.
First in Gulf Coast Grant Awards Given
In July, the Americans for Libraries Council (ALC), the umbrella organization of LFF, announced the first grant awards to repair and rebuild public libraries damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The specific commitments were: $1.6 million for New Orleans Public Library (Louisiana); $1.2 million for Jefferson Parish Library (Louisiana); $600,000 for Hancock County Library System (Mississippi); and $600,000 for Harrison County Public Library (Mississippi).
These grants are the first awards made by the ALC with support from the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund as part of a larger package of support to renew libraries - and communities - in the Gulf Coast.
Read more about this important work on the LFF site.
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Who's in the News?
Sturgis Library, MA
A Birthday for Books:
The Register, July 6, 2007
Celebrating its 140th birthday, The Sturgis Library in Barnstable, Massachusetts, was recently featured in The Register. This EqualAccess participant library actively embodies the EqualAccess Guiding Principles, earning it a place in the new book Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love.
Perry Branch Library, Maricopa County Library District, AZ
Dewey? At This Library With a Very Different Outlook, They Don't: The New York Times, July 14, 2007
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Resources >>
Health Access Resources
August is Cataract Awareness Month: For cataract information, visit this page of the NIHSeniorHealth site. Information is provided in a simple, easy-to-understand format and includes an extensive FAQ section. Users can also adjust the size and contrast of the text and add speech if needed (see screen shot below).
Back to School Tips: September will soon be here, which means back to school! Check out this American Academy of Pediatrics page for health and safety tips that will help kids get off to the right start. Topics include Making the First Day Easier, Backpack Safety, Bullying, and more. Perhaps this would make a good display/program idea for the parents in your community?
WebJunction's Health Information Services Forum
Lifelong Access Resources
What Boomers Want: Take a look at this Library Journal article by Beth Dempsey, published July 15, 2007. The article provides a great overview of the Baby Boomer generation - their needs and wants - and how the library fits into this picture.
Active Aging Week (September 24 - October 1, 2007): Looking for a new program idea for the Boomers and older adults in your community? Active Aging Week, sponsored by the International Council on Active Aging, aims to introduce older adults to physical activity and exercise options. Businesses and organizations across the country participate by offering free classes, education fairs, etc. Visit this site for more information on how your library can get involved.
WebJunction's Library Services to Older Adults Forum
Youth Access Resources
DrawingNow: Don't have the funds to hire a presenter on drawing anime and manga but have a slue of teens and tweens eager to learn how? If so, direct them to this site, where they can take free step-by-step tutorials on how to draw manga and anime. The self-paced, guided tutorials include lessons on drawing, sketching, and coloring - using well-known manga/anime characters as practice subjects.
Teen Ink - Resources: Most of you are probably familiar with Teen Ink, a monthly print magazine and book series all written by teens for teens. However, if you haven't delved too deeply into the Teen Ink website, you may have missed their comprehensive Resources section for teens. Topics range from School and College to Contests. College resources include not only links to helpful websites on financial aid and the college application process, but also samples of over 420 college essays written by teens! Make sure your younger patrons know about this valuable resource!
WebJunction's Young Adult Services Forum
State Specific Resources - Massachusetts
Year of the Teen: Maureen Ambrosino, Youth Services Consultant at CMRLS, has just posted dates and descriptions of this fall's Year of the Teen workshops on her Central Massachusetts Year of the Teen blog. Librarians (and other interested parties) from anywhere in the state may attend these excellent workshops, which include, among others, Beth Gallaway on Gaming and the New Literacy and Patrick Jones on Building Your Collection & Reaching Teen Readers. Save the dates!
WebJunction Features
BlogJunction Newsletter: Crossroads
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Showcase >> |
Congrats to Krista Navin,
our $50 Showcase Drawing Winner!
Visit the EqualAccess Showcase to read all about Krista's successful Tech-Teens volunteer program at the Palmer Public Library, an EqualAccess participant library.
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Brooklyn Assesses Local Health Information Needs
Since participating in the 2007 New York EqualAccess Institute, participants Susan Asis, Gwyneth Browman, Stephanie Brueckel, Shirley Hall, Hardeep Sareen, Uldis Skrodelis, Dennis Stewart, and Cynthia Woronowicz have been taking big steps to assess the health information needs of their Brooklyn communities.
The group of eight decided to work together to create health information needs surveys - one for teens and one for older adults. They then each customized these surveys for distribution at their branch libraries over the spring and summer. So far, the surveys have provided valuable information about local health issues and interests.
The prevailing results of these surveys have indicated that mental health issues are of prominent concern in their branch communities in both groups surveyed, with a collective emphasis on depression and anxiety. To address this need, the group is planning a large, collaborative Mental Health Fair to be held at Brooklyn's Central Library on October 26, 2007.
Read more about this great work in the EqualAccess Showcase.
Have you started a new program or service? Share your success with your EqualAccess peers by completing the Showcase Submission Form.
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No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.-Charles Dickens |
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EqualAccess e-Update! for August 2007
Libraries for the Future
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