VLA Newsletter

March 2001

Share Your Expertise!

The Annual Conference is just around the corner. Well, actually it's in October, but the May deadline for submissions of concurrent session proposals is just around the corner. Why not consider sharing your knowledge with fellow Virginia librarians and paraprofessionals? Have you completed a project, tackled a tough personnel problem, or learned a new Web application? Presenting an Annual Conference concurrent session is a wonderful way to give back to your colleagues by teaching them a new skill,

stimulating a discussion, or explaining how you successfully accomplished a challenging project. Plus, it's a resume builder and fun!

Contact Linda Hahne (757 583-0041), hahne@bellatlantic.net. A Concurrent Session Proposal form is posted at the VLA Website (http://www.vla.org).

- Barbie Selby, Chair, VLA Publications Committee

First VLA Council Meeting of 2001

VLA Council Backs ALA's CIPA/NCIPA Suit

VLA Council passed a resolution of support for ALA's legal action against the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act (NCIPA) at its February 9th meeting in Charlottesville. These two laws mandate the use of filters on public computers in school and public libraries that receive federal funds. VLA is already on record as supporting local control and "policies consistent with [the local library's] resources and ... mission." Copies of the resolution will be sent to the Governor, the Virginia Congressional delegation, and members of the General Assembly.

Conference Update

Harriet Edmunds, 2001 VLA Conference Chair, reported that plans are well underway for "Virginia Libraries: Where Readers Connect." The October 17-19th conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Select Koger South Conference Center, located in the suburban Chesterfield County of Richmond. Near good restaurants and shopping, this site should provide excellent conference facilities. Featured speakers include Dabney

Stuart, John Y. Cole, and Henry Wiencek.

Council approved proposed conference budgets for both the Annual Conference and the Paraprofessional Conference. Council also voted to allow Linda Hahne to negotiate the best contract she can with the Williamsburg Marriott for the 2002 Conference. If the executive Committee and Linda don't agree that the negotiated rate is a good one, Linda will look elsewhere.

Membership

Linda Hahne reported that VLA has 824 members for 2001. There are over 1200 members on the books now, but currently 427 of the 2000 members have not yet renewed their memberships. Linda will be sending letters out to encourage these members to renew. Since a 2001 VLA Membership Directory will be issued this year, renewing now is important.

Finances

Jeanette Friedman reported that VLA is in good financial health. In 2000 VLA took in $35,474 more in revenue than it expended, allowing the Association to reach its goal of a reserve fund containing one year's operating budget. Revenues from Jobline, the Paraprofessional Conference, and the VLA Annual Conference contributed significantly to this banner year. A "financial review" of VLA's finances and budget revealed an

organization in sound financial health. Recommendations from the review include examining two optional dues structures and considering increasing the reserve fund to two years' operating budget.

Legislative Update

The news was mixed on the legislative front. As we all know UCITA is the law in Virginia, despite VLA's best efforts. It has been studied over the past year prior to implementation. VLA has recently agreed not to offer amendments to UCITA for two years. The agreement allows libraries to circulate "tangible" storage formats - floppies, CDs, DVDs, tapes - as though they were books. It does not address digital information stored in "non-tangible" form, for instance remotely on a company's server. Imperfect as this is, it seemed to be the best libraries could get at this time.

Janis Augustine reported on other General Assembly actions. InfoPowering funds appear to be in some jeopardy, and the Senate version of the budget doesn't include money for fully funding the state aid formula.

2001 Designated Agenda

Cy Dillon presented his 2001 Designated Agenda. Much of it builds on Carolyn Barkley's 2000 goals for the Association. Highlights include developing a stable funding mechanism for the legislative liaison, completing a statewide continuing education facilities survey, developing a "Speakers Bureau," crafting a three-year membership strategic plan, gaining 501(c) 3 tax status, and continuing to improve VLA's financial

situation. Council passed the agenda after some discussion.

- Barbie Selby, Chair, VLA Publications Committee

VLA Awards and Recognitions

It’s that time again!! VLA awards. Start thinking now about someone you know who is really special in the world of Virginia Libraries. The categories are listed below. Contact Connie Gilman at 703-792-4800 for more information, or visit the VLA Website at http://www.vla.org. Forms are available from Linda Hahne, Executive Director of VLA, P.O.Box 8277, Norfolk,VA 22060-6218, or email hahne@bellatlantic.net. ALL FORMS MUST BE INTO THE VLA OFFICE BY APRIL 15, 2001.

GEORGE MASON

An association-wide award to an individual or organization distinguished for advocacy of libraries and/or information access; for promotion of library service through exemplary performance and recognition by the public served; for creative application of the use of technology in development of programs resulting in a substantial increase in support of library and information services; for significant influence on attitudes of public or private officials who are in a position to support the improvement of libraries and information service.

FRIENDS AWARD

Made annually for one (or more) Friends of the Library group in recognition of distinguished service to libraries or a library in Virginia. Equal consideration is given to small, medium, and large libraries; consideration is given to group activities, library and community related activities on behalf of the library. Criteria include number of members, activities, contributions to the library - monetary, equipment, services, and programs.

TRUSTEE AWARD

This is an annual award to recognize distinguished service to a library or libraries in Virginia. The nominee may have served on local, regional, state, or national levels. Equal consideration is given to trustees from small, medium, and large libraries. The award may be submitted by a librarian, trustee, board member, or VLA for distinguished accomplishments and contributions to library development.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARD

Eligibility is confined to trustees or former trustees, Friends of Virginia Libraries, and Virginia librarians who have held membership and who have made outstanding contributions to the association.

--Connie Gilman, Chair, Awards and Recognitions Committee

VLA Conference 2001

The 2001 VLA Conference will be a Richmond event held in Chesterfield County. The location is the Holiday Inn Select Koger South Conference Center, which is Richmond's biggest suburban conference center. The location offers the best of both worlds--a peaceful, park-like setting, but one that is conveniently located within a short distance from the largest regional mall, shopping centers, and countless restaurants. The conference center offers facilities that can handle up to 1,000 attendees with plenty of free parking available.

This newly expanded and remodeled facility has comfortable guest rooms that include some special items, such as a hair dryer, coffee maker, make-up mirror, iron, ironing board, refrigerator and microwave. Inside the facility is a restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a casual environment. The Atrium Coffee Bar, located inside the hotel, provides guests with the opportunity to indulge in a cappuccino or cocktail.

Adjoining the hotel is the Robious Sports and Fitness Center that has everything an exercise enthusiast could want, including a Nautilus gym, an aerobic gym, an Olympic-size pool, and a whirlpool. The fitness center is open to hotel guests for a fee of $7.00 per day. For those who prefer to get outside in the fresh air, there is a nice walking trail in Huguenot Park located next door to the hotel.

When the VLA Program Planning Committee met with Mr. Timothy McFarlane, Director of Group Sales for the Koger South Conference Center, he assured the committee that customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to the staff of the conference center and hotel. The letters of reference written by those who have used the facility are filled with compliments regarding the staff, service, and facilities. The Holiday Inn Select Koger South received the Holiday Hospitality Torchbearer Award in the fall of 1998. “Recognizing the Holiday Inn Select Koger South with a Torchbearer award means that we believe this property is one of the best hotels in the business,” stated Thomas Oliver, Chairman and CEO of Bass Hotels and Resorts, in the Center's news release, dated October 27, 1998. “Through its commitment to overall quality, hospitality, and customer services, this hotel continuously exceeds the highest standards of excellence." This sounds like just the place one would want to be for the Virginia Library Association's conference.

Mark your calendar for October 17-18, 2001, and join your colleagues at the Koger South Conference Center for VLA's 95^th annual conference.

- Lydia C. Williams, 2001 VLA Conference Planning Committee

National Library Legislative Day

Save these dates! National Library Legislative Day is April 30 & May 1, 2000

· Monday, April 30th is Legislative Briefing Day at the Holiday Inn on the Hill.

· Tuesday, May 1st is National Library Legislative Day on Capitol Hill.

Each year hundreds of librarians, friends, and library supporters from across the country gather in Washington, D.C., for National Library Legislative Day. Attendees meet with Senators and Representatives and gather support for key library issues. Once a

small gathering attended by a handful of concerned librarians, National Library Legislative Day has become one of the essential yearly events of the library community. In 2000, more than 500 library supporters attended from 49 states.

For reservations, contact Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 New Jersey Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001. Phone: 202-638-1616. Fax: 202-347-1813. Reservations: 1-800-638-1116. (When reserving a room, ask for the "ALA rate:" $156 single; $166 double.)

Put National Library Legislative Day on your Calendar and join hundreds of librarians in Washington!

- Source: ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline, Volume 9, Number 98

Call for Nominations

Three new officers - Vice-President/President Elect, Second Vice-President, and Treasurer - will be elected by the VLA membership during the regular fall election this year. The Nominating Committee will be announcing a slate, consisting of two nominees for each office, in the April VLA Newsletter. Nominations by petition may be submitted through May 15.

To submit recommendations for these offices to the Nominating Committee or to receive a nomination form, please contact Carolyn Barkley at 757-431-3927; FAX 757-431-3018; email: cbarkley@city.virginia-beach.va.us. Self-nomination is both acceptable and encouraged

--Carolyn Barkley, Chair, VLA Nominating Committee

VABook! 2001

The Seventh Annual Virginia Festival of the Book will be held March 21-25 in Charlottesville. Sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy, VABook!2001 will feature a roster of renowned, award-winning authors, such as Irish novelist John Banville, Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh, Southern novelist Lee Smith, poet and novelist Robert Morgan, novelists Agymah Kamau and Paule Marshall, and many other well-known writers. For additional information about the attending authors and the schedule of events, including the annual Festival Luncheon, visit the Website at http://www.vabook.org or call (804) 924-6890.

- Source: Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy

People & Happenings

Katy Caron started working as the Youth Services Librarian at the Culpepper county Library on January 15. Katy graduated from the University of Maryland with an MLS on January 15. She also has a master’s degree in Education from the University of Virginia.

Ellen Cedar began as Patron Services Assistant in Circulation for the Old Dominion University Libraries in Norfolk, effective February 10th. Ellen had worked at the Family Christian Stores where she was an Inventory Control Specialist and a Sales Associate.

Karen S. Chafin has joined the faculty of the University of Virginia's College at Wise as Lecturer and Catalog Librarian at the John Cook Wyllie Library. She received her BA in Education with a minor in Library Science from Clinch Valley College in 1990. Karen earned her MS in Information Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1999. For the past 10 years, Karen has worked as the librarian for J.I. Burton High School in Norton, VA.

Leland Deeds has joined the Government Information Regional library staff in Alderman Library, University of Virginia. He comes from Atlanta, Georgia where he was in graduate school and worked in the Pitts Theology Library at Emory University. Prior to that he was the Accounting Coordinator for Choice Point in Atlanta.

Diane H. Devoy started in January as Reference Librarian at the Waynesboro Public Library. Diane is no stranger to WPL; she served as a cataloger there for several years. Diane has a BA from UVA and received her MLS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After receiving her MLS, Diane worked at the Staunton Public Library.

Frances Everette began as the Evening Coordinator in Circulation for the Old Dominion University Libraries in Norfolk, effective February 10th. Frances came from the Navy Exchange where she was an Invoice Audit Clerk. Previously, she has worked for the U.S. Postal Service and as a data entry operator for other agencies. She has her B. S. in Business Administration from Strayer University in Washington, D.C.

Sharon Kidd began as Patron Services Assistant in Circulation for the Old Dominion University Libraries in Norfolk, effective February 10th. Sharon had been a Senior Sales Associate and Sales Associate at the Family Christian Stores since 1989.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library, located in Falls Church, is the first library on the East Coast to get 3M™ Digital ID. Mary McMahon, Director, started converting the optical bar codes in her Library’s collection to new digital tags last summer. The rewritable tags, containing tiny antennae and memory chips, were placed on 27,000 items. Staff members are now using the digital Staff Workstation and digital SelfCheck systems as well as the 3M™ Digital Library Assistant (DLA) for shelf reading. According to Mary, “We should definitely be able to save a lot of professional and housekeeping time, which in turn will free up staff so they can spend more time with patrons.” (Source: "Death, Taxes and Weeding." Tattler: An International Newsletter for Libraries, Volume 11, Number 1)

VLA Needs You

If you have not yet renewed your 2001 VLA membership, use the form at http://www.vla.org and fax it to Linda Hahne, VLA Executive Director, at (757) 583-5041.

Calendar

VLA Council Meetings for 2001

Charlottesville on April 6, June 1, and September 7.

Library of Virginia Board

Board meeting in Richmond on March 19.

March 30, 2001

Those Nasty Little Numbers: Gathering and Using Library Statistics

Sponsor: Academic Section and Technical Services & Technology

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Place: Library of Virginia, Richmond

Contact: Sharon McCaslin (804) 395-2444, smccasli@longwood.lwc.edu.

April 13, 2001

Copyright Law and UCITA: Impacts on Libraries

Sponsor: VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee and Region 6

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Place: Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, Charlottesville

Contact: Jeff Clark (540) 568-6770, clarkjc@jmu.edu

April 15, 2001

Deadline: VLA Awards & Recognitions Nominations

Contact: Connie Gilman, (703) 792-4800, cgilman@pwcgov.org

April 20, 2001

Deadline: VLAPF Awards Nominations

Outstanding Paraprofessional Award and

Paraprofessional Forum Award

Contact: Susan Paddock, SSPaddock@aol.com

April 20, 2001

Evaluating Electronic Resources

Sponsor: Collection Management Workshop

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (9:30 Registration)

Place: Library of Virginia, Richmond

Contact: Ellen Wertman, (703) 323-3868, nvwerte@nv.cc.va.us

April 27, 2001

Friends of Virginia Libraries Annual Meeting

Place: Hampton Public Library

Contact: Bill Whitesides (804) 932-8261

April 30, 2001

Legislative Briefing Day

Place: Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.

May 1, 2001

National Library Legislative Day

VLA Legislative Lunch

Place: Capitol Hill, Washington D.C.

May 1, 2001

Deadline: Concurrent Session Proposal for 2001 VLA Conference

Contact: Linda Hahne (757) 583-0041, hahne@bellatlantic.net

May 20-22, 2001

VLA Paraprofessional Forum’s 2001 Conference

Place: University of Richmond, Richmond

Contact: Susan Paddock (757) 431-3014, sspaddock@aol.com

September 28, 2001

Paraprofessional Fall Mini Conference

Sponsor: VLAPF

October 17-19, 2001

VLA Annual Conference

Place: Holiday Inn Select Koger South Conference Center, Richmond

VLA Officers:

Cy Dillon	President
Iza Cieszynski	President Elect
Ruth Arnold	Second Vice President
Carolyn Barkley	Past President
Janis Augustine	Secretary
Jeanette Friedman	Treasurer

Editor (for submissions):

Helen Q. Sherman, Librarian, DTIC Technical Library, Defense Technical Information Center, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0944, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6218

(703) 767-8180, fax (703) 767-8179, email hsherman@dtic.mil

Executive Director (for change of address):

Virginia Library Association, P.O. Box 8277, Norfolk, VA 23503-0277; (757) 583-0041; fax (757) 583-5041; email hahne@bellatlantic.net

________

3/1/01