Library LIVE! -- Monthly broadcast from Orange County

Glen Warren, Coordinator of Media Resources for Orange County Department of Education announced a test broadcast of a new monthly half-hour broadcast called Library LIVE!

The show will feature the latest news in Library Media issues and trends. It is planned for the 2009/2010 school year. He is looking for topics and special guests for his broadcasts, so let him hear from you. Here is Glen's announcement:

Library LIVE! provided a live test broadcast for school librarians through the California K12 High Speed Network on Thursday, June 25th, from 3:00pm to 3:30pm. (Pacific) This is the prototype of the live monthly, half hour, broadcast for the 2009-2010 school year. Thursday's Library LIVE! line up included:

1. The Winner Twins (award winning, authors who are 13 years old)
2. Digital Literacy News
3. Your Ideas for the 2009-2010 School Year

There are two ways to connect to the broadcast. One through live web streaming and the other through a video conferencing unit (like Polycom or Tandberg). We are most interested in testing the live video streaming chat feature. This allows for live interactive chat through most district firewalls. Here is the link for the live video streaming connection: http://www.k12hsn.org/conferencing/scheduler/system/conference.php/6707/stream/live Please use the link a few minutes before the broadcast time to make sure you have the proper plugins. If you have videoconferencing equipment, feel free to connect using the IP address or the CalREN number: IP Address: 207.166.4.2 CalREN Number: 534 000 4097

Please contact Glen Warren at the Orange County Department of Education with feedback of any technical challenges encountered directly at gwarren@ocde.us after the broadcast. Glen Warren Coordinator of Media Resources Orange County Department of Education 200 Kalmus Drive Site Location: 3001 Red Hill
Costa Mesa, California 92626 Phone: 714-966-4208

If your school already has a videoconferencing unit from companies like Polycom or Tandberg, be sure to register your equipment's IP address with Glen. This is an excellent use of your existing technology. Hopefully, you have the unit in your library already. Glen will be showcasing Library LIVE! and uses of interactive videoconferencing at the California School Library Association annual conference this Fall. He has invited Tandberg to exhibit and demonstrate their videoconferencing equipment at the conference, so come prepared to learn what is new and cool.

Glen is a library leader worth watching. He has great ideas and follow-through. He is passionate about the important role of strong school libraries and especially teacher librarians, and plans to use technology and personal networking to spread the word. Glen asks for your ideas for Library LIVE! Is there a library program at your school that is especially powerful that you'd like to share with Glen and the California educational community? This might be just the right forum. Library LIVE! is an excellent way for teacher librarians, their programs, technology tools, and issues to become more visible.

Digital Literacy -- the Role of Teacher Librarians

California School Library Association member Richard Moore posted a notice on the California school library listserv about an upcoming presentation on digital literacy and urged colleagues to consider attending in order to position teacher librarians in their role as teacher of digital literacy (included under information literacy). Thanks to Richard's "heads up", several librarians attended the presentation and successfully made their point about Teacher Librarians as part of the solution for increasing digital literacy in the state.

On Thursday 6/25, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Research Associate Dean Bonner presented findings of PPIC's Statewide Survey on Californians and Information Technology. The survey alines well with the national Pew survey on Information Technology, so we can see how California compares with the nation. See the PPIC website for video and handouts. Here are some highlights:

• The percentage of Californians with Internet and broadband access at home has increased since last year. Although the urban/rural digital divide has narrowed, demographic disparities persist.
• Many cell phone users, including most under age 35 are sending and receiving text messages. About 3 in 10 use cell phones to access the Internet or email.
• More than half of California’s Internet users access the Internet using a laptop through a wireless connection, while fewer do so using their cell phones or a computer at a public library.
• Six in 10 California parents with school-age children visit their children’s school websites and one in three get their children’s homework assignments via the Internet or by email. [Therefore about 40% of parents do not get school or student information via Internet access, presumably because they lack digital literacy or access to the Internet from home.]
• Majorities of Californians think that residents in lower-income and rural areas have less access to broadband Internet technology than others; At least half of Californians are concerned about this (inequity).

Sponsors of the PPIC event included California Emerging Technologies Fund (CETF), Zero Divide, and the State Library’s California Research Bureau. CETF President and CEO Sunne Wright McPeak spoke about the $60M her organization has to spend over five years to increase digital literacy in the state. She referenced a focus on government-led wireless research, used expressions such as “[solutions] driven by data” and “Children’s future”. She also indicated that Federal stimulus dollars to California would support Internet instruction targeted to populations needing digital literacy skills. For example, she stated that CETF has a goal to increase by 10% the number of Latinos who are online.

When the audience was invited to ask questions, the first hand up was Jennie Rae Davis, representative for Perma-Bound Books and a former school library employee. She expressed her concern that school libraries, a key part of the technology infrastructure, are losing teacher librarians, the ones who teach students how to use the Internet. The California School Library Association followed up with an offer to identify school teacher librarian (TL) data if we could get technical assistance on data mashing of CDE information showing where TLs exist and where they are missing. Sunny and others immediately understood the value of having visual data to show where TLs are most needed, and asked for assistance by GIS (Geographical Information Systems) expert Michael Byrne of the state information office. CSLA also provided Michael, Sunne, and others with a copy of Doug Achterman’s executive summary of “California’s School Libraries Make a Difference”.

There is a lot to be said about "being there".

Libraries to the Rescue - Podcasts from IMLS

The Institute for Museums and Library Services (IMLS) launched a podcast series on "Libraries to the Rescue". Discussions focus on library solutions or actions to help Americans through
the economic crisis.

According to a news release from IMLS:

• Five episodes cover how libraries are increasing access to key information through virtual libraries, the importance of broadband access, new partnerships between libraries and state and federal agencies to help citizens access all types of assistance.
  
• Libraries to the Rescue episodes are short (12-15 minute), digestible audio episodes designed to educate the IMLS library audience.
• Featured presenters are State Librarians for five states including North Carolina (Job Search Workshop), Michigan (Virtual e-Library for residents: tests, tutorials and more), New York (Research and Resource Base for jobs, inventions, new businesses), Washington (Project Hard Times), and Connecticut (Residents are cuttting costs by using the library for entertainment, programming, coping and cook books, magazines, books. Webjunction Connecticut resources.)
  
• Libraries to the Rescue audio can be accessed on the IMLS Web site or through iTunes. See http://www.imls.gov/resources/podcasts_Jun09.shtm

Celebrity Videos -- Charity Do's and Don'ts

Here is a Chronicle of Philanthropy article on the Do's and Don'ts of Charity Videos, with two examples that remind us that strategic planning of the message is important, yet can easily be forgotten when a celebrity agrees to do a video for your cause.

• An Angelina Jolie video on refugees tells viewers to remember the refugees -- a weak message.
  
• An example of a strong message is a video with celebrities like Danny DeVito who tell viewers NOT to give (to a school) unless, that is, you care about little things like your children. The video includes links to make it easy for viewers to donate, and ends with a "thank you."

What would you have a celebrity say to promote your project, cause, or institution? That might be a useful role-playing exercise. It could be a game called "If I were a STAR, this is what I'd say and how I'd say it."

Video Letter to NJ Governor - Strengthen Standards for School Libraries

Kudos to the New Jersey School Library Association. The association created an outstanding open letter (video letter) to NJ Governor John Corzone asking for him to require a certified school librarian in each school. New Jersey Elementary School Librarian Bosiljka Mijaljevic is the voice on the 6:26 minute video.

One of the Seven Wonders - Redwood High School Library

California's Redwood High School Yearbook staff recognized their school library as "One of the Seven Wonders of Redwood". "Wonders" was the theme of the 2008/09 student yearbook. In addition to the school library, other "wonders" included the spirit ball, the senior parking area, the new lunch plaza, new gym and pool, the amphitheatre, and Mount Tamalpais.

Here is what the students had to say about their library: "Always a blessed place in our hearts, the library serves as a resource for students: providing computers, fiction and nonfiction books, and presentations from our librarians. The library is in constant use for studying after school and during lunch. " It's always great getting unsolicited praise, especially from the students.

Kudos to Redwood High School Teacher Librarian and friend Thomas Kahn, an outstanding professional!

Unbound Booking - Educational Acts for Libraries

Here's an interesting entertainment business especially for libraries. You can request educational acts through Unbound Booking. The goal of the Colorado-based company: "To bring you a variety of educational acts throughout the year. All of our performers are professionally touring, responsible, family friendly acts that would love to perform at your library or school."

In addition to offering good programs for schools and libraries, they are encouraging libraries to have their young visitors write to President Obama and tell him how much they like their library and library programs. Librarians would save the letters and mail them on July 15, declaring the day "Presidential Library Day." The idea is that the library will get an official letter from President Obama thanking the library and its community for its interest. Ideally the letters will also remind the President and lawmakers of the role of libraries. What a fine idea!

Park and Read Program - Michigan

Barbara Van Woerkom's post "Check out the Parks" in NPR's library blog "... as a matter of fact" alerted me to this clever initiative. Michigan public libraries and state parks are working together to promote reading and recreation this summer.

"Through the Park and Read Program, library cardholders will be able to check out a one-day pass to any Michigan state park or recreation area, bypassing the $6 motor vehicle fee. "

"In addition, hammocks will be available in many parks, courtesy of The Hammock Co., for participants to lounge in and enjoy the breezes while devouring the latest summer read."

Love the sign used to show reading while relaxing in a hammock!

Taking Library to the Street - Washington, DC

A public library in the District of Columbia operates a summertime "street corner" library. Here is how Adult Librarian Elisa describes it: "We sit underneath the library's overhang close to the street corner, with some of our fiction and A-V materials from our division, and attract passerby to sign up for a DC library card. We're doing this until September. Everyone has a shift so we take turns going outside. If the weather isn't so great or we don't have enough staff that day, we won't do it." Don't you just love the image?

Public Libraries - Value Increases in Bad Times

The Today Show (msnbc) carried a story segment on "Libraries lend a hand in tough times". This is a good video clip to share widely because it has a lot of examples and statistics about how libraries are providing free Internet access, teaching basic computer and Internet skills, entertainment, and information resources. Job seekers are re-discovering and valuing their public libraries.

The American Library Association provided background material for the reporters. Two key statistics to note:

• 73% of public libraries report they provide the only free access to the Internet in their communities. This rises to 83 percent for rural libraries: http://tinyurl.com/mupmzd and www.ala.org/plinternetfunding .
  
• 68% of Americans have a library card: http://tinyurl.com/9ewpcc.

Read, Know, Grow -- T-Shirt Advocacy

Check out the new T-Shirts, pillows, and more for big and tall readers. They are good conversation starters for promoting reading because they include my favorite poem:

The more you read, the more you know.
The more you know, the smarter you grow.
The smarter you grow, the stronger your voice,
when speaking your mind or making your choice.
- anon.

Save Our Library - Protest Captured on YouTube

World Wide Watch carried a video clip about a June 9th protest organized by Saddleback Valley Unified School District teacher librarians against a school district's plan to eliminate or downsize its library program. Video headline: WorldWatchNow//Cuts Hurt//Librarian Protest. There are no voice-overs or speeches, just the song "Angel" by Sarah MacLachlan.

According to an article in the Orange County Register headlined "Saddleback School Board: Shortfall May Swell $20 Million", Tuesday's school board meeting attracted hundreds of parents, teachers and about 75 students who rallied outside just before the meeting to protest the proposed reduced staffing levels at their school libraries. Here's another article by OCRegister columnist Yvette Cabrera on "Oh, Those Sexy Librarians".

Author Tea and Treats

Palo Alto Teacher Librarian Patricia O. alerted me to an author tea at her elementary school. The Tea was an open house, with a focus on writing and celebration of student-made books. A parent created clever mini-cupcakes, topped with mini-newtons, enscribed with book titles.

Mini-newtons look a lot like mini-books, don't they?! Some of the book titles read: "GO DOG GO!", "Tao of Pooh", "White Fang", and "East of Eden". Remember this idea for your next book club meeting, and volunteer to provide refreshments. Or, consider this if you want to make an impression on your school site council, board, or legislators.