Contact Your Legislator re Legacy Funds!

From Elaine Keefe, lobbyist for MLA/MEMO:

As you may have seen in media reports, legislators are considering raiding the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to pay for a new stadium for the Vikings. 

This is certainly not what the voters were told this money would be used for when they passed the Legacy Amendment in 2008.  

Raiding the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund for a stadium will reduce the funding available for arts and cultural programs throughout Minnesota, including those offered by libraries. 

Please call or e-mail your legislators and tell them that you oppose using Arts Fund money for a stadium. 

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts has an excellent tool on their website for constructing a letter to your legislator using your choice of talking points.  The link is below:

 

http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/mn/issues/alert/?alertid=12568891&type=ST&show_alert=1

We need your questions! Monday night panel on 11/14

The ALA Student Chapter is sponsoring a panel discussion of librarians from more "traditional" careers--since we know there are still many of us out there who hope to work in a public, school, or academic library. We want your help coming up with questions for the panel!

Imagine: you're facing down librarians who have the jobs you'd love to have some day (soon). Since you're not going to hit them with a shovel, what do you want to know about how they built their careers? Please use the comments section below to brainstorm questions we can give to the panel.

We'd like to get these done in early November so the panelists can see them in advance of the event (Monday, November 14) and have time to think about them.

Weekly News Wrap-up

Sorry for the interruption in service! The wrap-up is back, (with a name change so as not to be confused with the MLA newsletter) and ready for a strong finish this semester!

A case of a library looking for ebook alternatives to Overdrive
Kansas Leading the Fight for Fair Ebook Access in Libraries
http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/Kansas-Leading-the-Fight-for-Fair-Ebook-Access-in-Libraries-78302.asp

The Global eBook Market: Current Conditions & Future Projections
http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920022954.do

Warner Video Restricting DVD Sales to Libraries
http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2011/10/18/warner-video-restricting-dvd-sales-to-libraries/

Internet Librarian 2011 happened this week. Along with other bloggers, Librarian in Black posted about some of the sessions.
http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/?s=internet+librarian+2011

More databases and collections added to WorldCat Local
http://www.oclc.org/news/releases/2011/201160.htm

The Census Bureau has updated their quick facts tables with information from the most recent census.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html

As always, email me with library stories at naeierman@stkate.edu

Write for Public Libraries magazine!

Public Libraries (PL) is seeking to fill two columnist vacancies:

• "Passing Notes" - explores young adult service
• "The Wired Library" - explores Web topics relevant to public librarians

These volunteer positions are wonderful opportunities to shine in your profession! You must be a member of PLA and able to turn in six columns a year of approximately 1,200 to 1,500 words in length, either by writing the column or finding an alternate author (i.e., a guest columnist on a specific subject). If interested, please send a note to PL Editor, Kathleen Hughes at khughes@ala.org. Please include some information about your library experience and writing samples or links to writing samples. The PL Advisory Committee will review applications and select the new columnists. Deadline Is November 21, 2011.

A scholarship opportunity to attend ALA conferences

Found courtesy of the MLIS blog:

http://www.aslesongrant.org/home.htm

Write an essay an apply for $1500 towards Midwinter or Annual!