VLA Newsletter February 1996 Call for Nominations The membership of VLA will elect two new officers later this year during the regular fall election: Vice President/President-Elect and Secretary. The Nominating Committee is responsible for preparing a slate consisting of two nominees for each elective office. The selections of the Nominating Committee will be announced to the membership in the April issue of the VLA Newsletter. Nominations by petition can be submitted to the Committee through May 15th. Now is the time to send to the Nominating Committee the names of individuals who you would like to recommend for nomination to the respective offices. To submit recommendations for nomination or to receive a nomination form, please contact: Linda Farynk, Chair, Nominating Committee, (540) 831-5471, fax (540) 831-6138, email: lfarynk@runet.edu. Weaving the Vision: Libraries Connecting the Common Wealth The Conference Committee is delighted to announce the title of this year's annual conference -- Weaving the Vision: Libraries Connecting the Common Wealth. The concept behind this title is one which emphasizes the interconnectedness of our work, our institutions, our visions and which promotes a sense of the library community or family. The conference program will weave together the threads which make up the fabric of our profession, such as customer service, management, training, technology, money matters, cooperation, staffing, facilities, trustees, and volunteers. It is also a particularly exciting year to hold our conference in Richmond with the opening of the new Library of Virginia preceding the conference by only a few months. There will be a strong thread connecting the conference with the Library of Virginia through such activities as a Friday night reception in the LVA lobby and scheduled tours of the new facility. In addition, preliminary planning has begun on a Saturday "post-conference" with presentations by Library of Virginia archives staff, both at the hotel and at the Library, featuring materials and collections available for our use - truly an opportunity to share "the common wealth." The Conference Committee will be hosting a conference program planning workshop for forum, section and committee chairs in Charlottesville in March and your suggestions for speakers, program topics, or any ideas are enthusiastically invited. You can share your ideas with any member of the Conference Committee: Carolyn Barkley, Chair clbarkle@leo.vsla.edu 804-431-3072 Joyce Dedmon j_dedmon@vger.nsu.edu 804-683-2418 Harriet Edmunds hedmunds@leo.vsla.edu 804-371-6914 Morel Fry maf100u@shakespeare.lib.odu.edu 804-683-4141 Linda Hahne lhahne@vax.npl.lib.va.us 804-664-7323 Steven Helm shelm@vt.edu 540-381-6824 Fran Millhouser fmillhou@leo.vsla.edu 703-502-3891 Nancy Miller nmiller@leo.vsla.edu 804-431-3046 Mark O'Brien mobrien@leo.vsla.edu 804-346-2424 Caroline Parr cparr@leo.vsla.edu 540-372-1160 Shirley Thomas srthomas@gems.vcu.edu 804-828-1110 Sue Trask sltras@facstaff.wm.edu 804-221-6351 Mark your calendars now for November 14-16, 1996 at the Richmond Marriott and Richmond Centre for Weaving the Vision: Libraries Connecting the Common Wealth.--Carolyn Barkley, Chair, 1995 and 1996 Conference Committees. First Executive Committee Meeting VLA's Executive Committee was snowed out of its original meeting, but met under sunny skies on January 22 and 23. The Committee will be bringing to the February Council meeting a draft of the 1996 Designated Agenda, the document that sets the course for the Association during the coming year. The Designated Agenda recommends that VLA: strengthen its legislative advocacy program; continue to monitor intellectual freedom issues and respond quickly to challenges; actively encourage the use of electronic communications methods to streamline work; and continue cooperative efforts with VEMA and other library-related groups, among other items. The Committee also adopted the 1996 budget and discussed the budgets for the annual conference and the Paraprofessional Conference. The operating and conference budgets will also be presented for adoption at the February meeting.--Caroline Parr, VLA President. Virginia Legislative Day Legislative Day was attended by approximately thirty librarians, trustees, and patrons. Senator Ed Schrock (Virginia Beach) spoke on the importance of libraries. He is a former Library of Virginia board member, member of the VLA Foundation board and president of the Virginia Beach Public Library Friends group. Phil Abraham, VLA's legislative liaison, then briefed the group on the status of the legislative agenda. Delegate Bud Phillips will be introducing a budget amendment for full funding of the state aid to public libraries, and Senator Madison Mayre will be submitting one on the senate side. All legislators received their VLA legislative agenda packets that day.--Izabela Cieszynski, Co-Chair, Legislative Committee. Evaluating the 1995 Conference Six hundred eighteen people attended the 1995 VLA annual conference at the Hotel Roanoke this past November. While the Conference Committee had a goal of 700, 618 is a very strong registration rate in the western end of the state. A breakdown of the 75 evaluation responses yields the following picture: 61.53% were from public libraries; 28.84% from academic libraries; 3.84% from school libraries; and 3.84% from special libraries. 78.84% were professional librarians; 11.53% were paraprofessionals, and 1.92% were trustees or friends. 8.88% earn under $20,000; 42.22% earn $20-30,000; 28.88% earn $30-40,000; 13.33% earn $40-50,000; 6.66% earn over $50,000. 21.15% were male and 78.84% were female. 27.45% came from Region 1; 11.76% from Region 2; 15.68% from Region 3; 15.68% from Region 4; 23.07% from Region 5; and 5.88% from Region 6. 23.07% paid for the conference personally; 50% had the conference paid for by their institution; and for 26.92% the payment was shared. 46.51% paid for the hotel personally; 34.88% had the hotel costs paid for by their institution; and for 18.60% the payment was shared. Responses rating the conference programs, facilities, speakers and other arrangements were informative and encouraging and will be very helpful in planning the 1996 conference in Richmond as well as those in the future. Here's what you told the committee about the conference itself: ¨Will Manley, Lee Smith and Michael Medved were cited most frequently as the favorite sessions, with Linda Singer, John D'Entremont, Richard Klau, Dwayne Yancey, and Josh Taylor mentioned by many respondents. ¨53.84% of those responding indicated that they had a good experience at the conference, with an additional ¨46.15% indicating an excellent experience. ¨Many activities were rated consistently above average or excellent. ¨High points included Lee Smith, the conference luncheons, Richard Lee, program sessions in general, conference hospitality and information, the mystery night theater program, and Will Manley, as well as the Conference site (meeting rooms and hotel arrangements) itself. ¨The exhibits were rated only as average and the anniversary buffet prompted a mixed response (30.76% poor, 23.07% fair, 11.53% average, 26.0% above average, and 11.53% excellent). Many individuals who submitted evaluations wrote comments sharing the high points and low(er) points of their experiences at the conference. The 1996 Conference Committee will refer to these comments as they plan the conference in Richmond to be held November 14-16. Both the 1995 and 1996 Conference Committees thank all of you who took the time to complete the evaluations. Your input is most appreciated. Thanks!--Carolyn Barkley, Chair, 1995 and 1996 Conference Committees. "Look Who's Reading" Poster Campaign Norfolk Public Libraries' Look Who's Reading poster campaign has been designed to attract attention, encourage reading, and draw people into the city's libraries. The campaign accomplishes this by featuring some of the area's most popular citizens from a variety of professions. The first to be photographed was actor/director/producer Tim Reid and his wife, Daphane Maxwell Reid. Several local photographers volunteered their time and expertise to help create what have become works of art. Along with being displayed in Kirn Memorial Library and each of its eleven branches, the "Look Who's Reading" posters will be on display at the Norfolk International Airport and at Waterside. Library of Virginia Board Meeting The Library of Virginia Board met in Richmond on January 22. The Facilities Committee reported that the new State Library building should be substantially completed by mid-April and that the building should be functional and operational by late autumn. The move to the new building should take about three months, and the library may have to be closed for part of that time. State money for the purchase of technology and equipment for the new building has begun to be released. There is no new information regarding the proposed Records Retention Storage Facility. The Library Board will write to the Administration asking that a site be selected quickly. Until this new facility is constructed, the Library of Virginia will have to maintain staff and collections at both the old and new buildings, which will be both expensive and inefficient. The Legislative and Finance Committee reported that the Library Board will request the General Assembly (by way of a budget amendment) to provide $250,000 in Fiscal Year 1996-97 to preserve five unique archival collections and $400,000 in FY 1997-98 to preserve three other unique collections. The General Assembly will also be asked for each of the two years to provide $400,000 for image digitization of archival and other materials and $200,000 for telecommunications support to provide public library access to the Internet and to the Library of Virginia's electronic information resources. Also, the Library Board will support the efforts of the public library community to obtain full funding for State Aid, which will entail an increase of $5.5 million per year for the biennium. The Library of Virginia will present eleven disaster planning workshops throughout the state, starting in late spring. The Library of Virginia Foundation has received about $23,000 of the $40,000 it hopes to raise this fiscal year. Nearly $2,000 has been received in memory of John Tyson. Nolan Yelich, the State Librarian, is pleased with the senior management team he is assembling and is greatly impressed with the spirit of the entire library staff. He is planning to invite other organizations to attend the State Library Board meetings. He also envisions more communication and cooperative endeavors with some of the other Richmond area cultural and historical institutions.--Alan M. Bernstein, VLA Observer to the State Library Board. MARAC Workshop Roster The Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) is currently developing a roster of workshops and leaders to assist in the planning of semi-annual meetings and state-level activities, and to be made available as a service to other interested professional organizations in the MARAC region. While traditional archival topics will be emphasized, it is hoped that the roster will also include related subjects from the history, library, and museum fields. MARAC would like to hear from individuals and organizations interested in being listed in the roster, which is purely voluntary and requires no fee. If interested, please contact: Danna C. Bell-Russell, Martin Luther King Memorial Library at dbrussel@capaccess.org for an electronic copy of the proposal form. Print copies may be obtained from Judy Robins, 600 Red Lion Road, #U12, Philadelphia, PA 19115, (215) 934-7939. The MARAC Education Committee reserves the right to make final decisions concerning the inclusion of proposed workshops in the roster, and to solicit and make available evaluations of workshops held under the auspices of MARAC. People & Happenings Nelson Worley has been appointed to the position of director of the Library Development and Networking Division at the Library of Virginia effective February 1. He had been serving as the director of the Appomattox Regional Library System, Hopewell, since 1976. He holds his M.S.L.S. from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and an M.A. in history from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. His undergraduate degree in history is from King College, Bristol, Tennessee. Effective February 1, Sandra G. Treadway will become the Deputy State Librarian. Dr. Treadway joined the staff of the Library of Virginia in 1978 and most recently has served as acting chief of staff for the Library. She earned her B.A. in history from Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York, and her master's and doctorate degrees in American history from the University of Virginia. Gregg D. Kimball will join the Library of Virginia as Manager of the Publications Department in the Publications and Cultural Affairs Division. He had been with the Valentine Museum since 1992. He holds a B.A. in history from the University of New Hampshire, a master's degree in history and library science from the University of Maryland, and is scheduled to receive his doctorate degree in history from the University of Virginia in the fall of 1996. Cathy Cheely, media specialist for Brunswick Senior High School, Lawrenceville, was named Virginia's Media Educator of the Year. This award is designed to highlight outstanding contributions to school librarianship throughout the state. Ann Brooks-Frances, a library associate at the Clover Hill branch of the Chesterfield County public library system, is among the winners in a national contest held by publisher Simon & Schuster. Her story recounting how her son's fifth-grade class treated a handicapped classmate with respect and kindness at a graduation picnic will be included in an upcoming book, The Greatest Gifts Our Children Give Us. The University of Virginia Claude Moore Health Sciences Library has received a $150,000 grant from the E. Stuart James Grant Charitable Trust of Danville in support of a medical librarian to work with health professionals and citizens in south-central Virginia. The librarian will be based in Danville and will plan and provide information services in partnership with Danville medical facilities and organizations. Handley Regional Library is now the official name of the Handley Library. The recent name change reflects the fact that maintaining the library system is now the joint responsibility of the city of Winchester, Frederick County, and Clarke County. Calendar Library of Virginia Board Meetings The next Board meetings are scheduled for: March 18, May 6, and June 17 and 18. March 12 Joint VLA Region I/VEMA Roanoke Region Spring Program Place: Radford University Contact: Dave Hayes, (540) 831-6177 March 26-30 Access for All: The Public Library Promise Public Library Association Conference, Portland, OR April 14-20 Libraries Change Lives National Library Week April 23 Virginia Heritage: Historic Houses and Local Cemeteries Sponsor: Local History, Genealogy, & Oral History Forum Place: Gunston Hall Contact: Anne Baker, (703) 451-9538 May 7 Library Legislative Day May 10 Everything I Need to Know about Trusteeship, I Learned at ______! Place: Northside Library, Charlottesville Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Contact: Donald C. Kiscaden, (540) 886-5258, email: dkiscade@leo.vsla.edu May 20-21 Communication is the Key VLA Paraprofessional Conference, Richmond, VA November 14-16 Weaving the Vision: Libraries Connecting the Common Wealth VLA Annual Conference, Richmond, VA