Maine Library Association News

LD 2106 Update and Next Steps

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:22:35 GMT

On January 29, the Judiciary Committee met in the Maine State House to hear public testimony regarding LD 2016, emergency legislation requiring a judicial warrant before public libraries, schools, hospitals, and child care staff may allow law enforcement into nonpublic spaces or release records (including patron records). The hearing prompted over 800 pieces of testimony, including testimony from MLA. LD 2106 moves next to a work session on February 5, where the Judicial Committee will vote on their recommendation.

LD 2016 received support from the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project and Governor Janet Mills, as well as from workers across all sectors, families, and community members. Emergency bills require a two-thirds majority to be immediately enacted - that's where you come in. Find your legislators to contact them directly, or simply click here to send a message to their inboxes. Together, we can make our vital community services safe and accessible.

MLA Statement about the 2026 NECHE Standards for Institutional Accreditation Draft

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 21:38:48 GMT

The Maine Library Association is alarmed that libraries, librarians, and library services may be removed from NECHE’s 2026 Draft Standards. Academic libraries are essential to student success, faculty research, and community learning. We urge Maine’s library community to speak up and submit a statement to Standardsreview@neche.org by October 14th to support keeping libraries in higher education accreditation.

More info: https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/neche_2026_draft_accreditation_standards_drop_libraries

MLA Statement about IMLS

Amy Wisehart — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 15:25:12 GMT

On March 14th, President Trump issued an executive order calling for eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency for libraries. While there is currently level funding for FY25, this action puts IMLS at serious risk.

The Maine Library Association Executive Board strongly disagrees with this action. The elimination of IMLS would negatively impact all Mainers who rely on library services. Federal funding is critical for the Maine State Library to provide important statewide resources and services. In FY24, the last fully appropriated grant, Maine State Library received $1,526,754 in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds. Each state receives federal funding through LSTA, and the overall ask for FY25 is $214 million. This would include roughly the same amount for Maine as in FY24.

MLA urges President Trump to reconsider this decision.

MLA urges the Maine Congressional Delegation to overturn this executive order and ensure at least level funding for IMLS in fiscal year 2026. Given their strong history of supporting Maine libraries and the IMLS, we now call on them to uphold their Congressional authority as the sole body responsible for funding decisions and to continue authorizing appropriations for Grants to States funding.

MLA urges our members and all library supporters to take action to protect federal library funding.

Federal funding in Maine goes toward:

Free gigabit internet to 243 public libraries through the Maine School and Library Network
Supporting interlibrary loan service to over 260 libraries statewide, ensuring Maine residents have access to more than 10 million items
Providing e-books and e-audiobooks to all Mainers through CloudLibrary
Providing those who are blind or visually impaired with large print and recorded books mailed to the patron for free
Delivering professional development training to library staff through consultations and workshops
Support for online databases offered through the Digital Maine Library
Providing the Books by Mail program to homebound individuals and Maine residents who live in rural areas without a local library
Support for Maine InfoNet for technology support and training for shared library catalogs statewide, building a strong connection for resource sharing statewide, and Digital Maine Library tech support and maintenance

While most library funding in Maine comes from local sources, federal dollars are crucial in building equity by providing resources to libraries with smaller budgets. Federal funding for libraries accounts for just 0.003% of the overall federal budget, and this incredibly modest investment ensures that all communities have access to essential library services regardless of local funding capacity. Libraries are open to all, and services are well used. In 2023, there were over one million visits to public libraries in Maine.

We call upon our members and all Maine residents who care about libraries to contact our Congressional delegation and ask them to take action to reverse the President’s executive order.

Take action here: bit.ly/ProtectLibraryFunding

For more information, see the American Library Association’s Show up for Libraries campaign and ALA’s FAQs about the executive order.

The Maine Library Association Executive Board
Revised March 19, 2025

MLA is Seeking Volunteers for Key Leadership Roles – Apply by April 15!

Sonya Durney — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:32:40 GMT

Passionate About Libraries? Step into Leadership with MLA!

The Maine Library Association is looking for dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers to fill four key leadership roles—and we want YOU to be part of it!

Gain valuable leadership experience to help advance your career
Connect with colleagues across the state
Make a real impact on the future of Maine’s libraries

This is an incredible opportunity to develop leadership skills, expand your network, and contribute to the library community in a meaningful way.

Apply by April 15
No need to be an expert—just bring your passion and a willingness to engage!
Chair roles include full voting privileges on the MLA Executive Board

Not sure which role fits best? Apply for more than one, and we’ll work together to find the perfect spot for you!

Not ready to chair a position but still want to get involved? Join a committee and make a difference! There’s a place for everyone to contribute.

Step up, lead, and shape the future of Maine libraries!

Available Leadership Positions

Legislative Committee Chair

Special thanks to outgoing chair Amy Stone for her outstanding work!

Lead the Charge for Library Advocacy!
This is an especially exciting time to join MLA’s advocacy efforts—MLA is onboarding a lobbyist, and pending legislation in Maine could bring significant benefits to libraries. As Legislative Chair, you’ll work closely with the MLA leadership team and the Legislative Committee to set advocacy priorities, draft MLA’s annual Legislative Agenda, monitor state and national legislation, and mobilize members to take action.

To apply: Legislative Committee

Academic Interest Group (AIG) Chair

Thank you to Elizabeth Bull for her incredible leadership!

Shape the Future of Academic Libraries in Maine! The Academic Interest Group is a vibrant network of academic library professionals who engage in discussions around Open Educational Resources (OER), access services, research, and instruction. As Chair, you’ll connect academic librarians across the state, facilitate professional development opportunities, and advocate for higher education library priorities.

To apply: Academic Interest Group

Communications COMMITTEE Chair

Are you passionate about libraries and love spreading the word about their impact? MLA is looking for a Communications Chair and committee members to help share the incredible work being done by libraries across Maine.

To apply: Communications Committee

New England Library Association (NELA) Representative

Huge thanks to Holly Williams for her fantastic contributions! The NELA conference in Portland was dynamite.

Connect Maine Libraries to the Broader New England Library Community!
MLA is seeking an engaged volunteer to serve as our New England Library Association (NELA) Representative. This is a fantastic opportunity to stay informed about library trends across New England, advocate for Maine libraries, and build relationships with regional colleagues.

To apply: New England Library Association Representative

Interested? Apply by April 15! Questions? Contact Sarah Skawinski at vicepresident@mainelibraries.org.

For full role descriptions, see the MLA Handbook:
MLA Handbook (2024)

Join us in shaping the future of Maine libraries—apply today!

MLA Awards - Nominations open until 4/26

Sonya Durney — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 18:59:16 GMT

The Maine Library Association invites you to recognize and celebrate the incredible work happening in our libraries by nominating a colleague, advocate, or leader for one of our prestigious awards.

Nomination Deadline: April 26, 2025
Award Presentation: MLA Annual Conference, May 20–21, 2025, at Sunday River, Newry, Maine

Outstanding Librarian of the Year
Since 1993, this award has honored exceptional Maine library workers with outstanding professional achievements and dedication to the field. Nominate a librarian who goes above and beyond to serve their community and profession.

Jim Campbell Award
Established in 2024, this award celebrates the legacy of Jim Campbell by recognizing individuals who champion intellectual freedom and privacy. If you know someone who tirelessly defends these values, this is your chance to honor their impact.

Outstanding Library Advocate Award
Since 2022, this award has recognized individuals—both inside and outside the profession—who have made a significant impact in advancing the mission of libraries in Maine. Celebrate the power of advocacy by nominating a dedicated library supporter.

Please submit your nomination today and help us spotlight those making a difference in Maine’s library community!

Save the date! 2025 MLA Annual Conference May 19-20

Megan Gray — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 16:26:54 GMT

MLA Screenings of Banned Together

Sonya Durney — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 16:58:57 GMT

The Maine Library Association is thrilled to invite MLA members and Maine communities to join us for a FREE screening of Banned Together.

Banned Together pulls back the curtain on two of the most controversial issues in America today: book bans and curriculum censorship in public schools.

This film follows three young women during their senior year of high school as they fight hostile community members and school board officials to reinstate these banned books. We witness their evolution from local to national activists as they advocate at school board meetings, sit down with national politicians, famous authors and constitutional scholars, and ultimately, speak on stage at the Right to Read Rally during the American Library Association’s annual conference in Chicago.

These events are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, but registration is required:

October 22nd, Orono Maine

October 22nd, Biddeford Maine

November 4th, Augusta Maine

Maine Library Association & League of Women Voters Empower Voters in 2024

Sonya Durney — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 19:12:28 GMT

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Jen Lancaster, Communications Director

859.753.0425 // jen@lwvme.org

Sonya Durney, Maine Library Association Past President

207.602.2497 // pastpresident@mainelibraries.org

[PORTLAND] – Today, the Maine Library Association (MLA) and League of Women Voters of Maine (LWVME) announced a new partnership to inform and empower voters ahead of the November 2024 election.

Libraries and Maine Local League chapters have long worked together to co-host voter registration events, educational programs, and candidate forums. Many libraries promote the League's online voter information tool, Vote411.org. The collaboration between these organizations will expand those connections and generate new resources.

“The League and libraries have a long tradition of encouraging active civic participation in their communities. We’re eager to collaborate and share nonpartisan resources,” said Anna Kellar, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Maine. “Together, we can work to inform voters and provide them with the tools they need to make informed decisions on election day.”

“This partnership with the League of Women Voters of Maine aligns very well with library values of education, access to information and civic engagement,” said Maine Library Association President Amy Wisehart. “We look forward to helping the League share valuable nonpartisan election resources with libraries throughout the state.”

The new resources will be jointly hosted by MLA and LWVME and available to all library and League supporters.

The collaboration follows the example of the American Library Association’s Reader. Voter. Ready. campaign, which equips libraries to engage with voters.

The League of Women Voters of Maine is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. LWV never supports or opposes any political party or candidate.

The Maine Library Association is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization with a mission to advocate for Maine libraries and library workers, foster cooperation, offer professional development, and provide leadership in ensuring that information is accessible to all.

Sustainable Libraries Initiative partners with the Maine Library Association

Shavaun Rigler — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:31:18 GMT

A new partnership between the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) and the Maine Library Association (MLA) aims to equip MLA members with resources and tools to address the challenges of climate change in their communities.

Through this partnership, MLA members will join a nationwide community of practice who are using tools created or compiled by the SLI and its members to uncover ways that their libraries and communities will understand, lessen, and adapt to the effects of climate change. These tools include a custom CO2 calculator to help members estimate their current institutional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to measure progress in efforts to reduce GHG emissions; a vendor list to aid in using environmentally friendly products and services; policy and programming examples; a webinar archive and the Road Map to Sustainability resource to help with planning. MLA members will also receive a 20% discount on the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program.

“The Maine Library Association is thrilled to offer this exciting benefit to our members. The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is an important tool for all libraries engaged in the essential work of environmental sustainability, social equity and economic vitality. We look forward to our work together to support Maine libraries,” said Amy Wisehart, President of the Maine Library Association.

“We applaud the Maine Library Association for seeking this partnership to enable all of their members to accelerate their adoption of sustainable thinking,” said Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Board President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, “Positioning the Maine library community as leaders in the conversation about climate change mitigation and adaptation is a strong move to ensure libraries contribute to their community’s resilience and remain relevant and responsive institutions.”

The Sustainable Libraries Initiative’s Sustainable Libraries Certification Program (SLCP) provides library leaders with a tested, structured path forward to increase your library’s commitment to environmental stewardship, economic feasibility, and social equity. The certification program–with versions available for public libraries, academic libraries, library systems, and school librarians-guides participants to look to their communities to identify needs and potential partners, adjust their current practices to align with the triple-bottom-line definition of sustainability, and reflect on how these actions are having a real impact in their organization and community.

Members of the Maine Library Association who opt in will receive one free year of annual membership to the Sustainable Libraries Initiative and a 20% discount on the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program. Cohorts of five or more libraries will receive a 25% discount on certification, supporting the principle that there is power in collective action.

Sustainable Libraries Initiative
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is a member-driven organization that empowers library professionals to be leaders using triple-bottom-line sustainability (environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic feasibility) throughout their organizations and in their communities. The Sustainable Library Certification Program is now enrolling public and academic libraries, library systems, and school librarians nationwide.

Maine Library Association's 2024 Conference Grant Application is open

Elizabeth Bull — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:55:18 GMT

The 2024 MLA Conference Grants are now live!

The Maine Library Association is happy to be able to offer more scholarships this year thanks to many generous donors and a grant from the Gorman Foundation.

Up to 10 grants will be available to attend MLA's Annual Conference, May 19-21. Awarded funds will be applied directly to the applicant's registration and will include up to two nights of lodging at Sunday River.

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

1. The applicant is a resident of the state of Maine.

2. The applicant is currently employed by a library or media center in

Maine.

3. The applicant has a demonstrated financial need.

The 2024 application deadline is March 31, 2024 and all applicants will receive a decision by mid-April 2024.

For more information and to fill out your application visit our Conference Grants page: https://mainelibraries.org/grants

Save the Date! MLA 2024 Annual Conference

Elizabeth Bull — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:17:53 GMT

Mark your calendars and get excited for the 2024 Maine Library Association's Annual Conference, May 19th-21st!

This year's theme will focus on the part that libraries play as centers of democracy within their communities.

Stay tuned for upcoming keynote speaker announcements, scholarship opportunities, highlights from last year's conference, and chances to nominate colleagues for awards.

As we gear up for the conference, MLA is now accepting proposals for sessions. Please fill out this form by 2/16/24: https://forms.gle/B3XqQFyKM9Ef1ryKA

Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!

MLA Wage Study Released

Sonya Durney — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 15:25:10 GMT

MLA is pleased to present the Library Wage Study performed by Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI). The study, initiated to address the complexities of compensation within Maine’s public libraries, has resulted in key insights and recommendations that we hope will serve as a valuable tool for both library directors striving to ensure fair wages for their employees and job seekers exploring opportunities within our vibrant library community.

The study encompassed a thorough examination of key benchmark positions across public libraries in Maine, with a focus on developing pay and classification systems. Research extended to New England states, offering a regional perspective. Job descriptions for primary positions were crafted by MRI to serve as models for libraries, covering essential functions, qualification requirements, and work environment factors.

The report emphasizes the importance of internal equity, ensuring fair compensation practices among current employees, and external equity, aligning with market values for similar positions in the broader workforce. A pay and classification plan is proposed as a foundation for equitable compensation. The plan aims to ensure "equal pay for equal work," with periodic reviews to maintain relevance.

Recognizing the evolving economic landscape, it is essential to note that the data collected for FY23 is a snapshot in time. To maintain the validity of wage measures, adjustments for the yearly increase in the Consumer Price Index or the Maine minimum wage are recommended.

The study would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our MLA Library Wage Subcommittee: Kate Wing (Chair), Wynter Giddings, Sonya Durney, Lee Koenigs, Steve Norman, and Michelle Conners. MLA is sincerely grateful to Carol Granfield of Municipal Resources, Inc. for the time dedicated to this project and for grappling with the complexity of our requests.

This report will serve as a valuable resource for our library community.

Maine Library Association Wage Study 10-2023 FINAL revised 1-24.pdf

Tell your community members and friends --- join Unite Against Book Bans

Sonya Durney — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 20:50:55 GMT

Join the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. Unite Against Book Bans is a national campaign to protect the rights of everyone to access information. Leveraging the reach of a national coalition, we connect, support, and mobilize both library workers and concerned community members to fight book bans in their communities and states.

The Maine Library Association is a proud State Partner.

MLA IFC Chair and President Interviewed for Maine Monitor investigative piece on book challenges in Maine.

Sonya Durney — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 20:46:02 GMT

Read Amanda Geduld's Maine Monitor article, Twenty-two challenges to school library books have been filed in Maine since January 2022. Just one book has been removed (September 2023).

The 2023 MLA Conference Schedule is Live!

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 17:03:47 GMT

The conference schedule for 2023 Annual MLA Conference is live! Please visit our conference page to view the program of sessions and speakers. Session descriptions are forthcoming.

Advocacy in Action: The 2023 Maine Library Association Annual Meeting and Conference will take place on May 22-23 at Sunday River Ski Resort - Grand Summit Hotel in Newry, Maine. Our keynote speakers will be Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association, and author Monica Wood.

MLA members and conference attendees are eligible for a discounted ticket price to the pre-conference fundraiser dinner on Sunday, May 21, with special guests and speakers Stephen and Tabitha King!

Early Bird registration ends April 16th. Learn more and register at www.mainelibraries.org today!

MLA 2021-2022 Impact Report

Wynter Giddings — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 20:07:27 GMT

We have completed our 2021-2022 Impact Report, which can be viewed here.

Announcing Library Snapshot Week, September 25 - October 1, 2022

Jeff Eastman — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 19:31:14 GMT

Have you found yourself wondering, “what would happen if libraries went away, even for a day?” This is the driving question asked back in 2007 by New Jersey library workers that gave us Library Snapshot Day. The MLA Legislative Advocacy Committee is pleased to present Library Snapshot Day 2022 and we hope you’ll join us!

Library Snapshot Day is about collecting data, yes, but it also aims to shine a light on the impact libraries have on communities. And we want to share that impact with elected officials, decision-makers, and other community leaders. The best advocacy work we can do is proactive and Library Snapshot Day is one more tool for raising awareness in our quiver. Please plan to join us for Library Snapshot Day 2022 and let others know what awesome things you do everyday by sharing one day.

What you will do:

Pick any day during the week of September 25 - October 1, 2022
Take a picture of your library in action
Track the data and fill in this quick survey
Attach your picture at the end of the survey

That’s it!

What we will do:

We’ll send you a personalized, snappy little one-pager to share with your elected officials and we’ll put together a complete report for the Maine State Library to share with state and national leaders.

For more information and to register, visit: https://www.mainelibraries.org/event-4972418

If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts, please email advocacy@mainelibraries.org. We can’t wait to read your stories!

Ainsworth Scholarship, MLA award winners announced

Jeff Eastman — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 14:25:11 GMT

We are pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2022 Phyllis E. Ainsworth Scholarship is Wendy West, a student at San Jose State University.

The Phyllis E. Ainsworth Scholarship was named in 1979 in honor of Mrs. Ainsworth, a Maine librarian who had recently been the first Southern Maine Library District Consultant. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a student member of MLA in order to defray the cost of graduate school.

At the recent MLA conference, we also announced the winners of annual awards. The Outstanding Librarian of the Year is Angie Herrick of the Skowhegan Free Public Library. The Outstanding Library Advocate (a new award this year) is Evelyn Adelson of York, Maine.

2022-2024 MLA Officers elected

Jeff Eastman — Tue, 31 May 2022 16:40:11 GMT

Please welcome the recently elected officers who will begin their new two-year terms this year.

Treasurer -- Amy Wisehart, Director of Northeast Harbor Public Libary, was re-elected for another term
Member-at-large 1 -- Kate Wing, Course Materials and Collections Specialist at Bowdoin College, was re-elected for another term
Secretary -- Anna Faherty, Archivist at the Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn College, was elected

Please also welcome Samantha Duckworth, Law Librarian at Verrill, as Intellectual Freedom Chair. Thank you to Joanna Breen and Matt Delaney, the outgoing Intellectual Freedom Chair and Secretary, for their dedication and hard work.

2022 MLA Officer Ballot

Wynter Giddings — Fri, 06 May 2022 15:05:03 GMT

Click here to access the ballot - you must log in to your account to access the ballot page.

Proposed changes to MLA Bylaws; Zoom meeting Aug. 6th

Jeff Eastman — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 20:47:03 GMT

The MLA Board has proposed some changes to our bylaws. These would typically be discussed and voted on by members at the Annual Business Meeting, but due to the COVID pandemic complications this year, we were unable to get the changes ready in time.

We will be holding a (brief) special meeting on Thursday, August 6th at 10:00am, which is open to all active members who wish to discuss and vote on the proposed bylaws changes. This email shall serve as the required 30-day notice of such a meeting. The Bylaws with proposed changes can be viewed here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GxDTsVwtArMjKkg7f8rupyweUkvkRO-4/view?usp=sharing_eil&ts=5efdefb9

There are track changes in the document made by Rob Levin, who is the attorney MLA has retained, in order to assist us with our transition to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Your registration confirmation email will include a Zoom invite.

Stand against racism

Jeff Eastman — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 02:20:18 GMT

The Maine Library Association stands against all forms of racism and hatred. Racism has no place in libraries or society. It is unacceptable and divides our communities. Libraries are committed to creating physical and virtual spaces that are welcoming to all. We stand for diversity, equity, inclusion, and open access to information in all of our programs and services in our libraries. The events of this past weekend are the latest in our nation’s painful history and they are indicative of a much larger, systemic problem of racism and oppression that must end. We have more work to do. Libraries have a critical role to play in confronting racism and creating equity.

The Maine Library Association stands with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) and the American Library Association (ALA) in their condemnation of violence and racism toward Black people and all People of Color. We must listen, amplify the voices of Black people and People of Color, and be better allies. This is what libraries do: listen, convene, and support all our community members.

Here is a compiled list of resources, books, and websites to help drive change and promote healing:

University of New England AntiRacism Reading List

Children’s books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

Anti-Racism for Kids 101: Starting to Talk About Race

Teaching Tolerance - Free Webinars

Advancing Racial Equity in Your Library

Jennifer Alvino
Maine Library Association, President 2019-2021

National Library Week 2020

Jeff Eastman — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 01:49:25 GMT

National Library Week (NLW) is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. The theme of NLW is “Find the Library at your Place”, and it reminds us of the many ways that libraries throughout Maine support their communities. From free access to materials and online resources to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all.

At a time when libraries have closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, they continue to evolve. Libraries and library workers are proving resourceful and resilient, and they are delivering access to ebooks, movies, music, video games, virtual story times, activities, and so much more. Maine Library Association stands in solidarity and support of library workers. We recommend and urge all libraries to close and remain closed to the public until guidance from the CDC is given that it is safe to reopen and the appropriate precautions taken. For library workers who work directly with the public and at-risk populations, the health and safety of staff and visitors is of utmost importance.

While library buildings may be physically closed, librarians and library workers are busier than ever! They are continuing to safely deliver vital services to their communities, such as digital access, resource guides, research inquiry responses, online instruction to learners, teacher and faculty support, virtual story times and other content, including ebooks, eaudiobooks, movies, music, video games, and virtual programs and events.

Maine Library Association (MLA) applauds the library workers who are stepping up to address needs and celebrates the variety of programming and ingenuity in this “new normal”. As President of MLA, I am pleased and proud as I see and hear of the new ways libraries are finding to connect with community members and provide continuity of service.

The Tuesday of NLW is the day that celebrates National Library Workers’ Day. I hope you each took a moment to pat yourselves on the back and received some, well-deserved accolades from your communities. This week is not only an occasion to praise your work, but at this time of crisis, it is also a time to advocate for your continued safety. Library staff should be permitted to work remotely, where feasible, and buildings should remain closed to the public until such time that a phased reopening plan and precautions can be taken. Maine Library Association advocates that library workers are paid fully during this time and continue to receive benefits such as health insurance. In municipalities where budgets are being slashed and library workers are being furloughed or laid off, MLA continues to work with the American Library Association. We are asking the federal government to step in and provide relief for the second responders who are getting communities through this crisis and will enable our nation’s workforce to get back on its feet during the recovery. Strong libraries will be more important than ever to the communities they serve when life returns to normal.

Libraries and library workers have vital roles to play in their communities, and MLA remains committed to supporting them during this challenging time.

Be well, and I look forward to when our libraries reopen and we can meet in person again.

Sincerely, Jen Alvino, MLA President 2019-2021

Board Elections

Jeff Eastman — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 02:17:28 GMT

The results are in for the 2019-2020 MLA Executive Board elections. Congratulations to Wynter Giddings of Curtis Memorial Library has been elected Vice President/President-elect and Cadence Atchinson ahs been re-elected Member at Large.

HSLIC Legacy - Maine Library Association Scholarships

Jeff Eastman — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 19:34:10 GMT

The Maine Library Association thanks the Health Sciences Library & Information Consortium for donating to the MLA Scholarship Fund. Sadly, the HSLIC disbanded earlier this year, but we are grateful for their contribution to helping Maine resident seeking education in library science.

"The HSLIC members are proud that our organization's legacy will support future librarians in the state of Maine. Thank you to the Maine Library Association for providing this opportunity and your ongoing work on behalf of Maine libraries!" says Dina McKelvy, Director of Library and Information Services at Maine Medical Center and past chair of HSLIC.

To learn more about the Scholarship Fund, please visit our Scholarship & Loan Committee page.

Donation to MLA from Bangor Savings Bank

Jeff Eastman — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:12:26 GMT

The Maine Library Association is the recipient of an un-restricted donation of $5,000 from Bangor Savings Bank. Our Conference Committee is committed to using these funds to make the 2019 Conference as special as ever.

In recent years, libraries across the state have been recipients of Bangor Savings Bank's "Community Matters More" grants. This year, the voting will happen 100% online. Therefore, Bangor Savings Bank is encouraging people to visit their local libraries to use the fastest statewide broadband connections and public computers that we provide in order to vote for this award. Perhaps they will even be voting for you!

About Community Matters More

Community Matters More, it is a unique giving initiative. Each year, the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation engages the public during the month of February (February 1st – February 28th) in voting for their favorite nonprofits. More than $140,000 will be given to 55 local nonprofit organizations in Maine and New Hampshire. The top two organizations in each geographical region will receive a $5,000 grant, while the remaining organizations will receive $1,000.

During the month of February, visit www.bangor.com/cmm to vote for your favorite nonprofits! You can vote for up to five (5) different nonprofit organizations across any region listed on the online ballot. If you don’t see your favorite nonprofit on the list, select “Other” to write-in the name of your nonprofit.

MLA Executive Board

MLA celebrates Banned Book Week

Jeff Eastman — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 17:05:35 GMT

Banned Books Week, this year between the 23rd and 29th of September, is a time to celebrate the freedom to read, the freedom to be intellectually curious, the freedom of expression, the freedom to be controversial, the freedom to disagree, the freedom to investigate, and the freedom to find answers, values that the library profession stands for and the Maine Library Association fully supports. Censorship is the opposite of these values, and it originates from motivations as basic as differences in taste and as ominous as totalitarian political regimes. Opposition to a book is sometimes personal, often arbitrary, potentially harmful, and usually unnecessary, and when we find out that some books now considered classics were once banned, we wonder what could have been so objectionable in the first place. Banned Books Week allows us to assert that intellectual freedom and reading in general are good things in a society, which we do by displaying books that have been restricted by someone somewhere sometime.

Readers in Maine might have heard of an incident at the Rumford Public Library earlier this month when a group of pastors challenged the Banned Book display on the grounds that some of the books were inappropriate for children. The point of the display was not to offend or to promote any of the content of any of the books, it was to promote intellectual freedom. Library materials generally represent many points of view -- even opposing points of view -- that different patrons want and need, and it is unfortunate that not everybody always recognizes it. Librarians can respectfully remind the public that one patron is as free to read challenged material as another patron is to object to it. At a Board of Trustees meeting that followed the challenge in Rumford, the community discussed the matter with the pastors and settled it. We are glad that they came to an understanding of the display.

We sometimes take the freedom to read for granted in an open, democratic society such as ours, but we shouldn’t. There are places in the world that are not free, and freedom in places that are free is not guaranteed. Banned Books Week helps us to remember the benefits of living in a free society and how libraries contribute to the quality of life in our communities.

Motions Passed at ALA Annual 2018

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:45:37 GMT

Full Writeup from American Libraries Magazine:

Council Day 1

The minutes from the ALA Midwinter Meeting (CD #2.1) were adopted.

Ed Sanchez gave the report from the ALA Resolutions Committee (CD#10.2) on a motion to amend the ALA Policy Manual to update the motion form process for resolutions with fiscal implications. The motion passed.

ALA President-Elect and chair of the Committee on Committees (COC) Loida Garcia-Febo presented the nominations for 2018-2019 COC (CD#12): Oscar Baeza, Latrice Booker, Erica Findley, Dora Ho, Jack Martin, Louis Munoz Jr., Raymond Pun, and Jules Shore.

Garcia-Febo then presented nominations for the 2018-2019 Planning and Budget Assembly (PBA) election (CD#12.1). Chapter councilor candidates for two-year terms include Charlotte Canelli, Micki Dietrich, Lynda M. Kellam, and Andrew Wertheimer.

PBA councilor-at-large candidates, two for two-year terms and one for a one-year term, include Elissia Buell, Nicholas (Nick) H. Buron, Dorcas Hand, Kyla M. Johnson, Larry P. Neal, and Jahala D. Simuel.

Neal then announced the tellers for the ALA Council Elections to the COC and PBA (CD#12.2): Cynthia Dottin, Eric B. Suess, Stephanie D. Tolson, and chair Vivian Bordeaux.

ALA Executive Director Mary G. Ghikas presented the executive board actions taken since the 2018 Midwinter Meeting in Denver (CD#15.3–15.4). Ghikas also reported on the implementation of the 2018 ALA Midwinter Meeting Council Actions (CD#9.1).

ALA Councilor Sara Dallas (CD#41) read a resolution to honor African Americans who fought library segregation. The motion passed unanimously.

ALA Past President Maureen Sullivan facilitated a discussion with councilors on ALA’s organization effectiveness efforts (CD#35.1).

Ghikas reported that there were 12,286 paid attendees and 5,148 exhibitors, for a total of 17,434 registrants; 22,289 attended in Chicago in 2017.

Council Day 2

ALA Treasurer Susan H. Hildreth presented the Treasurer’s Report for FY2019 (CD#13.3). A motion to approve the FY19 Annual Estimates of Income passed.

Councilor Martin Garnar then gave the report from the Committee on Diversity (CD#14.1). In his report as president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FRTF) (CD#22.1), Garnar provided updates on existing and new legislation issues, education efforts, Banned Books Week, and plans for FRTF’s 50th anniversary in 2019.

Councilor Vivian Bourdeaux, chair of the Council Election Tellers Committee, reported on the election of new representatives to the Committee on Committees (COC) and the Planning and Budget Assembly (PBA) (CD#12.3). Elected to 2018–2019 COC terms are Latrice Booker, Dora Ho, Jack Martin, and Louis Muñoz Jr. Elected to the PBA as chapter councilors for 2018–2020 are Micki Dietrich and Andrew Wertheimer; elected as councilors-at-large for 2018–2020 are Nicholas Barone, Dorcas Hand, and Larry Neal.

Councilor Christopher Corrigan reported on the Policy Monitoring Committee (CD#17.1) and presented seven action items that had all been adopted at previous conferences but needed to be added to the ALA Policy Manual. The items included inserting language on net neutrality; making visual and performing arts part of the Library Bill of Rights; opposing sweatshop labor and supporting union businesses (affirmed in 2008); making an ALA- or CAEP-accredited master’s degree strongly preferred for ALA’s executive director; adding the core organizational values; adding the key action areas; and adding the strategic directions. All seven motions passed.

Chair Sue Considine reported on the Committee on Organization (CD#27.1). Motions to redesign the ALA and Council Committee intern position and to establish the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table both passed.

Neal recognized retiring councilors and Executive Board members, then Council members broke for a group photo with retiring Council Secretariat Lois Ann Gregory-Wood.

Jim Rettig, chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, presented that report (CD#25.1). A motion to amend ALA Bylaws to fill ALA Council (Section 7) or division or round table (Section 8) seats if an elected councilor declines the position passed.

Leslie B. Burger provided updates from the International Relations Committee (IRC) (CD#18.1–18.3), including the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Global Vision and world map projects. IRC raised $80,000 in disaster relief funds for grants to rebuild Puerto Rican libraries after last year’s hurricanes. Burger reported that 530 librarians from 50 countries were attending this year’s Annual Conference.

Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC) Chair Rhea Lawson gave the BARC report (CD#33.2). A resolution on using ALA endowment funds for socially responsible investments failed. Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, cochair of the ALA Special Task Force on Sustainability, presented a report (CD#40) on sustainability and libraries.

ALA Executive Director Mary Ghikas reported 17,563 attendees in New Orleans, compared with 22,591 in Chicago in 2017 and 16,395 in Orlando in 2016.

Council Day 3

Memorials were read for Herbert Biblo (M#7), Heather Lanier (M#8), John Byrum (M#9), Mary Lynette Larsgaard (M#10), Bernard (Bernie) A. Margolis (M#11), deg farrelly (M#12), Krista McKenzie (M#13), and Stephanie Squicciarini (M#14).

Tributes were offered to honor the 50th ALA anniversary of Lois Ann Gregory-Wood (T#4), to mark the retirement of Pat May (T#5), and to thank Don Wood for his service to ALA and ALA Chapters (T#6).

Kenton Oliver, chair of the Committee on Legislation (COL), announced public policy highlights and other COL activities since Midwinter (CD#20.1–20.4). A motion to recognize the 25th anniversary of the GPO Access Act and calling for the enactment of the FDLP Modernization Act passed (CD#20.2). A resolution to reunite detained migrant children with their parents passed (CD#20.3).

Helen Ruth Adams reported on the recent work of the Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) (CD#19.3–19.8), including rebranding the Choose Privacy Week website as Choose Privacy Every Day to serve as a year-round reference. IFC is also developing resources for libraries hosting controversial speakers and programs. Motions to adopt several interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights regarding meeting rooms (CD#19.6), library-initiated programs as a resource (CD#19.7), and services to people with disabilities (CD#19.8) all passed.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) Councilor Ann Symons proposed a resolution on increasing the number of gender-inclusive bathrooms at ALA conferences and meetings (CD#42), which passed with an amendment.

ALA Executive Director Mary Ghikas reported on the final registration totals for the Annual Conference in New Orleans: 12,423 attendees and 5,176 exhibitors, for a total of 17,599 registrants. This compares with 22,172 registrants in Chicago in 2017 and 16,395 registrants in Orlando in 2016.

More detailed information on each motion here.

Board statement on ICE

Jeff Eastman — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 10:10:53 GMT

Recently there have been reports around Maine of individuals being harassed and having their immigration statuses questioned by people who lack the authority of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Maine Library Association feels it is important to reiterate our commitment to our profession’s values of privacy, intellectual freedom, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to join the American Library Association in condemning policies that separate families pursuing asylum in our country. In addition, the MLA feels it is important to remember that library records and user information are private and cannot be obtained by law enforcement without a subpoena or warrant. ALA suggests these guidelines for how to respond to law enforcement’s requests for such information.

ALA and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, have links on their websites to resources for librarians and library users seeking information about immigration, refugees, asylum, and legal defense. The website of the American Civil Liberties Union has information about what an individual’s rights are when stopped by the police, questioned about immigration status, and visited by ICE.

All patrons, regardless of their origins or status, can expect to be treated with respect and dignity and for their legal rights to be protected at any library. We encourage anyone interested in learning more about, and understanding more broadly, the many important national issues our country is facing to utilize this free online content subscription resource called Opposing Viewpoints in Context, accessible through the Maine State Library's MARVEL tool.

-- The MLA Board

Motions Approved by ALA at Midwinter

Sat, 07 Apr 2018 15:29:59 GMT

Sarah LeMire, chair of the ALA Scholarships and Study Grants Committee, presented a motion (CD#31) to create the Lois Ann Gregory-Wood Fellows Program honoring Gregory-Wood’s 50 years at ALA. The motion passed unanimously.

Janet T. O’Keefe, acting chair of the ALA Membership Committee, presented a resolution (CD#32) on adjusting personal member dues. The motion passed and now moves to a full membership vote on the 2018 spring ballot.

ALA Immediate Past President Julie B. Todaro proposed ALA Honorary Membership (CD#34) for Librarian of Congress and former ALA President Carla D. Hayden. The motion passed.

Policy Monitoring Committee (PMC) member Jennifer Boettcher presented the PMC report (CD#17) with three action items. The first motion proposed that text on politics in American libraries be incorporated into the ALA Policy Manual. The second motion proposed that text on equity, diversity, and inclusion be added to the Policy Manual. The third motion proposed to add definitions of equity, diversity, and inclusion to the Policy Manual. All three motions passed.

Susan Considine, chair of the Committee on Organization, presented a report (CD#27) with two action items. The first proposed the dissolution of Federal and Armed Forces Library Round Table and merger with Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies to form a new ALA division named the Association of Specialized, Government, and Cooperative Library Agencies, to take effect September 1, 2018. The motion passed. A second motion proposed the dissolution of the Joint Committee on Archives, Libraries, and Museums to establish as a Membership Initiative Group. That motion also passed.

Vivian Bordeaux, chair of the ALA Council Tellers Committee, presented the report on the ALA Executive Board Council election results (CD#11.2). Ed Garcia, Maria McCauley, and Tamika Barnes were elected for three-year terms (2018–2021) to the ALA Executive Board; Diane R. Chen was elected to a five-month term (February–June 2018) to complete the remainder of ALA President-Elect Loida Garcia-Febo’s member-at-large term.

Robert Banks, acting chair of the Committee on Legislation (COL), presented the COL report (CD#20), including information about the White House FY2019 budget, the new ala.org/fundlibraries advocacy page, and net neutrality efforts. ALA Washington Office Associate Executive Director Kathi Kromer provided an update on ALA’s advocacy response to the White House budget—more than 5,000 emails were sent to members of Congress in the first 24 hours.

Helen Ruth Adams, chair, presented the Intellectual Freedom Committee report (CD#19–19.2), including updates on materials challenges and censorship, hate crimes in libraries, and its new Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, and Academic Libraries. A motion to adopt position paper “Net Neutrality: An Intellectual Freedom Issue” passed. A second motion to adopt position paper “Visual and Performing Arts in Libraries: An Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights” also passed.

Dance Like It's Jane Austen's Time

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:32:20 GMT

In honor of 200 years of Jane Austen's legacy (the author passed away in 1817), the Blue Hill Public Library held an English Country Dance in the library on December 6th. Dance instructors John McIntire and Nancy Rosalie came to teach a crowd of over 40 attendees the steps to some of the same dances Austen would have done in her day, complete with music by Waterville-based group The North Star Sisters. The mood was quite festive as the furniture in the library's main reading room was moved aside to accommodate the rows of dancers, some of whom gamely arrived in Austen-inspired costume.

This event was something of an experiment to try connecting our community with the world of literature in a way beyond the usual readings and lectures we tend to host, and it more than paid off, with many in attendance hoping to do it again someday. It was certainly a fun and creative night for all, and a nice way to head into the close of the year.

Photos include our three costume contest winnersand video here.

-Hannah Cyrus, Blue Hill Public LIbrary

Plus ça change…

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:04:27 GMT

I recently came across a program for the 1936 Maine Library Association conference at Colby College, which was then in downtown Waterville. What was interesting to me was how much from that program could still be relevant today.

Just as there would be today, there were keynote speakers: Miss Alice Jordan from Boston Public Library was brought to the Elm City to discuss “Children’s Books—New and Not so New” and Miss May Massee of Viking Press gave a talk on youth literature “with lantern slides,” which must have been a real audio-visual thrill for those assembled.

An aside: Miss Massee, it turns out, was quite a powerhouse in both libraries and publishing. Trained as a librarian, she served as the first full-time editor of Booklist Magazine. She founded the first two divisions of major publishing houses that were dedicated to children’s literature—at Doubleday in 1922 and Viking in 1933—and worked with many authors we still recognize today, Maine’s own Robert McCloskey and Ludwig Bemelmans of Madeleine fame among them. (source) She also advocated for open library services to all, especially immigrants and minorities, and published books that featured them as well.

Back at the 1936 MLA conference, most delightful of all (to me) was a panel discussion on the “Relation of the Library to the Public” that included one of my forebears, Mrs. Anne Hinckley, Librarian at the Ladies’ Social Library (Blue Hill Public Library’s previous incarnation prior to 1939).

MLA 1936 Panel Discussion.pdf

Mrs. Hinckley’s participation in the panel left behind a script of pre-arranged questions to be addressed, each one identifying who would ask and who would reply. For example, Miss Trappan, Head of the Open Shelf Room at Portland Public Library, asked of Mrs. Hinckley, “What activities are justified to bring borrowers to the library?”

Mrs. Hinckley was also asked “What is the best solution of the problem of duplicate copies of books in much demand?” and “What do librarians think of the librarian in [Sinclair Lewis’] Main Street, who said her first duty was to preserve the books?”

When it was her turn, Miss Trappan got some zingers: “What should be the attitude toward questionable books; not merely salacious books, but also books on heated controversial subjects like communism?” and “How far should public demand influence book buying?”

They saved the oratorical fireworks for last, asking of Dr. Libby, professor of Public Speaking at Colby College: “Is the phrase ‘adult education’ attractive or repellant?,” “How can municipal officers controlling finances be made to realize the importance of the library?” and finally the most potentially damning question of all, “What can you say about the charge that books get slowly into circulation because of prior claims of trustees and book committee?” Oh the humanity, corruption among trustees and committee members!?

Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are not preserved locally and, as much as libraries have been on the side of free speech in history, it’s anyone’s guess how those in attendance at Colby College would have replied. It’s possible that ALA’s modern positions on intellectual freedom issues would seem radical to these Maine professionals pondering thorny topics between the wars and in an era of Red Scares.

The one thing I can say today with certainty is that we all owe the Miss Trappans, Dr. Libbys, Miss Massees and especially for us in Blue Hill, Mrs. Hinckley and Miss Pearson, a debt of gratitude for carving out institutions and a profession that have become integral to our American social fabric.

-Rich Boulet

New MLA Interest Group

Wed, 10 May 2017 14:51:16 GMT

Genealogy Special Interest Group

This group is for those librarians who serve genealogists/family history buffs and would like to provide better service. It definitely helps to have a personal interest in this pursuit, but it’s not necessary to join! At the very least we will network via e-mail, sharing developments of interest and providing virtual shoulders to cry on, if necessary. Moral support is so important! Plans are afoot to have social events, along with informative workshops. Co-chairs are B.J. Jamieson, Belfast Free Library, and Emily Schroeder, Maine State Library.

Berwick Academy Students Build Surfboard in the Library!

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 19:11:32 GMT

After reading William Finnegan's Barbarian Days as a summer reading selection, a group of high school students and teachers at Berwick Academy decided to build a surfboard in the library. We were all so inspired, we decided to construct a classic 9' wooden surfboard and we collaborated with Grain Surfboards in York, Maine. Many of the kids on the project surf the Maine and New Hampshire coasts! The project was funded by our Berwick Parents Community and we are auctioning off the board at their annual event next month. All proceeds will go to support programming like this at our school. It's been a total hands-on learning experience and collaboration between students, teachers, and Grain. This project has been so successful and generated so much interest that we plan to do it again next year, but work with Middle School students.

Just recently, Laird Hamilton, world-renowned innovator of crossover board sports and one of today's best known big wave surfers promote our project on Facebook.

More information on the project can be found on Twitter at: @BA_Innovation

Statement from MLA President on State and Local Funding of Libraries

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 20:37:02 GMT

Like most of you, I've been following the budget developments at the national and state level closely, with a great deal of concern. Locally, LD256 might have far reaching effects for our state in the way we support libraries online. We need to pay close attention to the details to ensure the MSLN remains adequately funded, and to be certain no other online offerings are endangered.

And then there's the deep cuts proposed by President Trump. He's called for the elimination of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The one bright spot for me in this is that these proposals are simply that: proposals. We have already heard from Senator Collins' office that she intends to continue her strong support of LSTA.

The LSTA program brings real benefits to Maine. You can find them listed here: https://www.imls.gov/grants/grants-state/state-profiles/maine

Please see the letter from ALA President Julie Todaro for more information on what we can do on the national level: http://ala.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT02NDE5NjUxJnA9MSZ1PTEwMDc1MjQyNTYmbGk9NDIyMzcxNzU/index.html

More information can also be found here: http://www.districtdispatch.org/2017/03/house-library-champions-release-fy18-dear-appropriator-letters/

I will be attending Library Legislative Day in Washington DC this year, along with Jamie Ritter and other Maine librarians. It will be important to be fully aware of the issues at play, and to coordinate our efforts with other agencies and organizations so that we can be heard at the highest levels of government. This coming Tuesday, I'll be on a conference call with the heads of all state chapters of ALA, discussing what can be done and how it can best be accomplished.

For now, know that we at MLA are following this closely, and we're communicating with our friends and allies across the country to make sure the needs of libraries are met, and (more importantly) the needs of our patrons. If you're looking for something you can do today, a short phone call to your Congressperson would never hurt. But please realize this might well be a long process. A marathon, not a sprint. We'll need continuing support in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Respectfully,

Bryce Cundick
President
Maine Library Association

Institute of Museum and Library Services's Response to the President's Budget

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:18:36 GMT

"Since its inception 20 years ago, the grants and programs administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services have provided critical support enabling museums and libraries across the country to make a tremendous difference in their communities. The institutions we serve provide vital resources that contribute significantly to Americans’ economic development, education, health, and well-being whether by facilitating family learning and catalyzing community change or stimulating economic development through job training and skills development. Our agency’s support enables museums and libraries to offer learning experiences for students and families, as well as to increase care for, and access to, the nation’s collections that are entrusted to museums and libraries by the public.

We’ve invested in rural and smaller communities by supporting basic infrastructure and by developing libraries as local community hubs for broadband connectivity and digital literacy training — helping many residents gain job-related skills and, in many cases, find employment. In summary, our grants and programs support libraries and museums as essential contributors to improving Americans’ quality of life.

More than $214 million of our $230 million FY 2016 enacted budget targets museums and libraries directly through our grant programs. This includes $155 million for library services to every state and territory in the country through a population-based formula grant program.

As Congress now begins its work on the FY 2018 budget, our agency will continue to work closely with the Office of Management and Budget. More importantly, we will continue to remain steadfast in our work on behalf of the millions of Americans touched by the services of libraries and museums each day."

Source: IMLS's Press Releases

American Library Association's Response to the President's Budget

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:15:44 GMT

"In response to President Trump's proposal to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services in his FY2018 budget, American Library Association (ALA) President Julie Todaro today issued the following statement:

"The President's proposal to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in his FY2018 budget just released, and with it effectively all federal funding for libraries of all kinds, is counterproductive and short-sighted. The American Library Association will mobilize its members, Congressional library champions and the millions upon millions of people we serve in every zip code to keep those ill-advised proposed cuts from becoming a Congressional reality. Libraries leverage the tiny amount of federal funds they receive through their states into an incredible range of services for virtually all Americans everywhere to produce what could well be the highest economic and social "ROI" in the entire federal budget.

“The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funded through IMLS is the primary annual source of funding for libraries in the federal budget. IMLS distributes the majority of LSTA funds to every state in the nation according to a population-based formula. Each state library determines how to best spend its allocated federal funds, which must be matched at the state level. The range of services provided to millions of Americans through LSTA grants is matched only by the creativity of the libraries that receive them: veterans transitioning to civilian life, small businesses seeking to expand their business online, summer reading programs, resources for blind and hearing-impaired patrons, resume writing and job skills workshops and computer coding courses to teach youth 21st century job skills.

"America's more than 120,000 public, school, college and university and many other libraries are not piles of archived books. They're trusted centers for education, employment, entrepreneurship and free inquiry at the core of communities in every state in the country – and in every Congressional district. And they’re staffed by the original search engines: skilled and engaged librarians."

Source: ALA Press Releases

Choose Privacy Week: May 1-7

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:50:54 GMT

Choose Privacy Week is coming May 1-7, and it's not too late to plan an event or two for your library and your patrons. Recently, there has been an enormous amount of press attention about FBI efforts to have Apple rewrite its operating system to bypass the security of its iPhones; even more recently about Microsoft's suit against the government to declare gag orders unconstitutional when government agencies subpoena its customers' information from Microsoft; and Uber's revelations that in a six month period, Uber provided government agencies with information that affected over 12 million (that is not a typo) riders and drivers.

This heightened public awareness provides a wonderful opportunity for libraries, bastions of Intellectual Freedom, to offer events that deal with personal privacy in the digital age, a topic that more and more people are becoming concerned about. The American Library Association offers a variety of resources to help promote conversations about what privacy means and how to protect it in today's connected world within libraries and in the wider community. Head over to chooseprivacyweek.org and take a look.

Jim Campbell
Intellectual Freedom Committee Chair

Libraries Transform Campaign Kick-Off

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 13:24:40 GMT

To all Maine libraries – public, school, academic, special…

The Central Maine Library District (CMLD) Association is pleased to announce the statewide kick-off of ALA’s new Libraries Transform public awareness campaign. The CMLD Association’s contribution to this effort is the offer of a free set of posters to all Maine libraries who wish to participate.

The Libraries Transform campaign is designed to increase public awareness of the value, impact and services provided by libraries and library professionals. The campaign will ensure there is one clear, energetic voice for our profession, showcasing the transformative nature of today’s libraries and elevating the critical role libraries play in the digital age. The campaign has one main idea: Libraries today are less about what they have for people and more about what they do for and with people.

The CMLD Association will print and distribute the following five campaign posters:

The five posters read:

· Libraries Transform

· Because 5 out of 5 doctors agree that reading aloud to children supports brain development

· Because students can’t afford scholarly journals on a ramen noodle budget

· Because more than a quarter of US households don’t have a computer with an Internet connection

· Because employers want candidates who know the difference between a web search and research

To receive a set of posters please complete a brief survey by no later than April 16th: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/libstransform

We hope every library in the state will display the posters with pride!

Stay tuned! This is just the beginning of a long-term state and national advocacy project that will benefit libraries of all types. For more information and resources to bring this campaign to your library and your community go to http://www.ilovelibraries.org/librariestransform/ or find the Libraries Transform link on the Libraries page of the Maine State Library’s web site.

NELA 2016 Annual Conference: Request for Proposals

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:01:08 GMT

We're looking for program proposals, Ignite Session entries, and poster session submissions for NELA's 2016 Annual Conference!

Submission deadline is May 31st!

Click HERE to access the program proposal form.

Libraries play an integral part in building our global community. They are places where kindness, connection and preservation prevail, no matter the condition of the world outside. We're looking forward to gathering together again this year to learn from and network with our library friends and colleagues, so that we can continue to learn from each other.

"Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries." - Carl Sagan

Mary Danko, 2016 Conference Chair

Megan Bishop, NELA Events & Communications Coordinator

Upcoming Library Celebration at the Portland Sea Dogs!

Tue, 26 Jan 2016 22:15:18 GMT

Celebrate all things LIBRARY with the Portland Sea Dogs on Tuesday,

April 19th at 6:00.

-Pre-game parade for library workers

-Each library picks a representative to throw out a first pitch

-Discounted tickets

We'll also use this as an opportunity for a Library Libations meet-up.

When you submit your application to the Sea Dogs let me know as well

so I can start planning!

For more information, please check out this PDF: Sea Dog Invitation Letter.pdf

Michelle Conners

Assistant Director/Adult Services, KFL

Maine Representative to NELA

mconners@kennebunk.lib.me.us

Voting for the Maine Readers' Choice Award Closes September 15

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 14:00:33 GMT

Now is your chance to vote for the 2015 Maine Readers' Choice Award winner. The poll is opened on the Maine Readers' Choice Award website and will run until September 15 at midnight.

http://mainereaderschoiceaward.org

The finalists are:

* Euphoria by Lily King

* All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

* Redeployment by Phil Klay

These are three really classy books.

If you are doing paper ballots please email me (Valerie) the results.

Thank you!

Valerie Osborne, Consultant

Northeastern Maine Library District

Bangor Public Library

145 Harlow Street

Bangor, Maine 04401

947-8336 ext. 114

1-800- 427-8336 ext. 114

Valerie.Osborne@bpl.lib.me.us

Letter Writing Campaign to Support Millinocket Library

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 21:04:57 GMT

If you would like an easy way to send your thoughts to the Town Councilors

of Millinocket, the Maine Library Association now has a tool through ALA

that will help streamline that.

Visit http://cqrcengage.com/alame/app/write-a-letter?2&engagementId=119793

, fill out your information and click submit. The next screen is an

editable email that will go to all current members of the Millinocket Town

Council. The default message is brief, so feel free to expand and

personalize your message. Please pass the link freely, especially if you

have contacts in or around Millinocket!

This is MLA's first time using this advocacy tool, which ALA has used for

years - many of us have participated in ALA's messaging campaigns over the

years. If you would like MLA to set this up for a local issue affecting

your library, please let me know so we can work together - custom

recipients can be added so that advocacy emails can go to school boards,

town councils, individual committees, etc.

Best,

Nissa Flanagan

MLA Legislative Chair

Local Fall Indexing Conference

Thu, 03 Sep 2015 20:58:21 GMT

New England & Western New York ASI Chapters

Fall Meeting

Saturday, 26 September 2015

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

The Black Center

48 Lebanon Street

Hanover, NH 03755

Program highlights: Lisa DeBoer will be presenting One Is The Loneliest Number: Strategies for Collaboration Among Indexers, with interactive breakout sessions. Additionally, a panel of indexers, including Colleen Dunham, Steve Ingle and Joan Shapiro, will be addressing questions on the business aspects of indexing.

Registration information: http://www.asindexing.org/chapters-and-sigs/chapters/chapter-meetings-and-contacts/#ma

I Love My Librarian Award

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 19:09:31 GMT

Librarians touch the lives of the people they serve every day. The I Love My Librarian Award encourages library users like you to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians. We want to hear how you think your librarian is improving the lives of the people in your school, campus or community.

Each year 10 librarians are selected. Each librarian receives a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and a travel stipend to attend the awards ceremony and reception in New York City, hosted by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or at an accredited K-12 school.

Nominations for the 2015 I Love My Librarian Award are open through September 28.

Nominate a School Librarian

Nominate a Public Librarian

Nominate a College, Community College, or University Librarian

If you want to resubmit a nomination from a previous year, we've made it easy.

Questions? Email Megan McFarlane, Campaign Coordinator,

American Library Association, mmcfarlane@ala.org.

Story Time Skills and Raising Maine's National Profile

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:01:41 GMT

Maine is one of five states chosen to take part in one of the first academic studies on the efficacy of story time. OCLC, along with partners at the Washington State Library and Thrive Washington have been working with the Information School of the University of Washington to compile data and implement best practices into a program called Supercharged Storytimes!

The first research phase, unsurprisingly, took place in Washington State. 80 public libraries took part. This phase was a roaring success, and now the project has expanded to five more states. Maine was selected after a multi-tiered process, and being chosen is quite a feather in Maine’s cap. In addition to Maine, the other states are: Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

In this phase, each state gathers a cohort of public library staff who present story times on a regular basis. Staff who are interested apply directly to OCLC. Library staff can expect to gain wonderful information and practical skills from this experience, whether they are new to story times or long-term presenters. Participating in this project will:

Enhance existing early literacy programs (such as Every Child Ready to Read) with tips and tools that can help you purposefully and creatively incorporate essential early literacy concepts into your story times;
Encourage sharing of and learning from experiences and ideas through an online-based peer support network;
Provide you with research-based tools and tips that can aid story time interactivity and engagement with children and caregivers;
Give you the confidence that what you are doing really does make a difference in helping young children learn to read;
Empower you to articulate the value and impact of the early literacy services your library provides.

Hopefully you can see that some of these benefits are of particular interest to Maine. First, all of the project takes place online. In a state where travel to meetings, workshops and get-togethers is difficult, taking part in a high-quality, online experience is a boon to many.

Second, you probably know that in Maine, a very small percentage of children are able to go to preschool. Story time becomes crucial to a child’s school readiness. Presenting the best story times you possibly can is helping young children get ready to read in kindergarten (or before!) and is making a measurable difference in Maine.

Third, we see more and more in Maine that cities are struggling to make ends meet, and the public library often suffers for this. As the last bullet above states, this project will allow participants to explain the value of early literacy skills, story time, and the public library, and describe the impact these have on children and Maine’s future.

The Maine State Library hopes that every public library story time provider in Maine signs up for this project. The links below lay out the information and expectations in detail. Please read the information carefully. If you have any questions or need help, please contact Early Literacy Consultant Shannon Schinagl at the Maine State Library: shannon.c.schinagl@maine.gov or 207-287-5660.

Need a general overview? OCLC has provided a Supercharged Storytimes! Announcement Letter.

A more detailed description of Supercharged Storytimes! can be found here.

Please read the Supercharged Storytimes! Participant Overview very carefully. All of the nitty-gritty is spelled out here, including requirements, time commitment, and what you can expect.

If you choose to participate, apply with a Statement of Interest.

If you would like to read the research from the first phase, the academic study is called Project VIEWS2.

Finally, the deadline for application is Friday, September 11, at 5:00 EST.

Please join Maine in participating in this exciting project!

Shannon Schinagl

Early Literacy Consultant

Maine State Library

shannon.c.schinagl@maine.gov

207-287-5660

Sharing is Good: An Update from Maine Shared Collections

Tue, 14 Apr 2015 17:07:40 GMT

As we were all taught back in kindergarten, sharing is good. Several Maine libraries are demonstrating this through participation in Maine Shared Collections. Back in in July’s edition of MLA to Z (summer seems such a long time ago!) I wrote about wrapping up the grant activities of the Maine Shared Collections Strategy (MSCS). Based on our experience from the grant, we’ve developed our own collection analysis service. We provide libraries with data and advice for making decisions about what titles can be safely weeded and those which are potential candidates for long-term retention as part of Maine Shared Collections. So far, 16 libraries have participated in analyzing their print monographs collections (Edythe L. Dyer, Witherle, Northeast Harbor, McArthur, Freeport, seven Community Colleges, University of Maine Farmington, University of Maine at Presque Isle, University of Maine at Augusta, and UMA Bangor) and I’m keen to get as many libraries involved as possible.

Analysis to date

By committing to retain items, member libraries provide other libraries with the option to weed their own local copy, safe in the knowledge that their patrons can still access the title via existing resource sharing agreements. Overlap has been high (on average 40%) between libraries’ print monograph collections and titles already committed to retain by Maine Shared Collections members. Therefore, there have been plenty opportunities for weeding. Some libraries have literally taken their spreadsheets to the stacks to pull items for weeding. Those libraries that have already identified weeding candidates used the spreadsheets as another check before deciding whether an item could be safely weeded.

Generally, the titles identified as retention commitment candidates are those where there are fewer than ten holding libraries in OCLC, don’t have an existing Maine Shared Collections retention commitment, or are Maine related. The average number of titles identified as potential retention candidates account for less than 1% of the library’s print monograph collection. The numbers of titles involved – from only 17 to 97 – are sufficiently low that libraries have felt comfortable making the retention commitments, but there is no obligation for them to do so. Examples of titles that have been committed to retain include Rev. Seth Noble: a revolutionary war soldier's promise of America and the founding of Bangor, Maine and Columbus, Ohio by Carol B. Smith Fisher and Embedded memories: the story of Aroostook potato houses by Roger P. Akeley.

A nice byproduct of the collection analysis is documentation that identifies incorrect and missing metadata (e.g. incorrect and missing ISBN, OCLC numbers). This can be used to correct records, benefitting other libraries in our shared resource environment.

Benefits

There are four main benefits for participating in the collection analysis and joining Maine Shared Collections:

1. Data-informed collection management decisions. While data alone is never going to make decisions, it can be used to make more informed decisions based on overlap with peer libraries, rarity, and usage.

2. Insurance of retention commitments. The large volume of retention commitments made by the grant partners (approximately 1.4 million titles) and those made subsequently by new members can act as an insurance policy. Libraries can choose to weed those titles committed to retain by members while still retaining access to them via inter library loan.

3. Freeing up local shelf and storage space.

4. Contributing towards the common good. Even a small number of retention commitments will mean a library is contributing towards the common good of managing and preserving the print collection in Maine.

Collection analysis service

The collection analysis service we offer consists of us providing libraries with spreadsheets which show for print monographs:

Titles they hold which have received a Maine Shared Collections retention commitment.
A subset of committed to retain titles they hold that have Maine Shared Collection retention commitments and have had fewer than two circulations at the local library since being added to the collection.
Titles they own with zero Maine library holdings in OCLC WorldCat. We also show MaineCat holding levels for these titles.
Titles they own with 10 or fewer holdings in OCLC WorldCat. We also show MaineCat holding levels for these titles.
Metadata errors e.g. incorrect and missing ISBN, OCLC numbers that can be used to clean records.
All item level records with circulation and OCLC WorldCat holdings data.
Data permitting, we can adapt these spreadsheets to meet local needs.

The spreadsheets which show local overlap with Maine Shared Collections are generally used by libraries to identify items that they can weed because they are already been committed to retain by a Maine Shared Collections library and have rarely circulated locally. The spreadsheets which include overlap with OCLC and MaineCat are used to identify those titles a library holds that are not widely held elsewhere and are therefore potential candidates for being committed to retain.

I will meet with library staff to review the spreadsheets and offer suggestions for areas of focus for retention and withdrawal.

The cost of collection analysis services is based on the time it takes to complete the data extracts and compile the above spreadsheets, so the larger the collection the more time it will take to run the comparisons. For libraries with a collection size of fewer than 50,000 print monograph volumes then it will cost $350. Between 50,000 and 100,000 volumes cost $420. There are NO ongoing membership fees.

There may be other options for libraries who can’t pay fees for the collection analysis service, for further information contact me. Libraries can also self-nominate titles they feel warrant Maine Shared Collections retention commitments by sending me a list of titles they agree to retain.

Joining Maine Shared Collections

Ten new libraries have so far joined the Maine Shared Collections Cooperative (MSCC) which means MSCC membership has more than doubled since September 2014. These libraries have committed to retain approximately 300 titles.

If you are interested in finding out more Maine Shared Collections and bringing out your inner kindergartener, please see our website http://www.maineinfonet.net/mscs/or contact me at matthew.revitt@maine.edu.

Written by Matthew Revitt, Special Collections and Maine Shared Collections Librarian

A Most Unusual Guided Tour

Tue, 14 Apr 2015 17:03:29 GMT

Welcome aboard folks. I know many of you have professional experience in the field, but I must warn you to be prepared at all times during the tour and remember to follow some basic ground rules. They might seem obvious to some, or silly to others, but they have been put in place for very good reason. First, photos are fine, but be aware that the lighting inside is tricky, unpredictable and can change at any time, so don't be surprised if the image you get looks completely unlike what you thought you saw. Rule number two. Please remain with the tour at all times. Last December on the Holiday Tour, we had a young couple who lagged behind so they could have a little private time in one of the rooms. He's still being treated at an inpatient facility because he's convinced that he's the reincarnation of Melville Dewey and she can't speak anything but Mongolian without breaking out in a horrible body rash. Third, please refrain from touching any of the items on display. While most are believed to be benign, there are a few that are capable of changing your personality and outlook completely. That's why we had you sign your tour waiver in the presence of a notary.

Ready to go? Please follow me. There will be time for bathroom breaks and questions at the end. One last comment before we enter, what you see inside may look like complete chaos, but remember that it has functioned in ways that have and continue to amaze many in the profession.

I wait as everyone enters the soft flexible door, waiting to see if anyone comments on its structure, but they're either squinting as they hit the darkened interior or texting God knows who. I wish we could ban those damn things, but once we get inside, it won't matter. The electrical impulses will jam the heck out of any signal.

We call this room the Den of Cluelessness AKA Where I learned to pay it forward. Note the series of early emails between the owner and his peers in the medical library world. As you can see, he came into the profession out of a combination of desperation and bravado. Desperate because his current role as an adult educator in an insane asylum was crumbling and brave because he had the ego and the delusion to claim that he could modernize the library at said asylum. Funny thing, though. He delivered big time, in part because he discovered the Zen of Librarianship. Know what you don't know and then learn it. Note how many responses he got from other librarians as far away as Great Britain, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Amazing how many wanted to play nice. Now, if you look at the wall on the opposite side of the room, you'll see a map of Maine that's covered with yellow pins, more than 150 in fact. Each one represents a library that he's personally visited and in many of them, he offered suggestions and examples of how he figured out various things or better ways to do something. That was the biggest lesson he took away from the era of cluelessness. If you want to keep it, you have to give it away.

I notice several of the tour members making copious notes while a few others are trying to figure out how many libraries they've visited during their career.

We move down the hall with its dark purple velvet wall hangings that depict scenes from books he's read and loved. I never get tired of the amazingly lifelike series from the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. It makes me realize why that series had stuck with him for over thirty years.

I wait until everyone is in the next room which we call the 'You ain't making Progress Until You Piss Someone Off' room. There are about twenty dioramas scattered about on display stands. I like the one with the racy graphic novels tucked into the oversize shelf, but the one that makes the most sense is the one where Christian fiction is housed as far away from Paranormal Romance as possible. One you're not likely to see in many places is the one where the miniature figure's hair stands on end while a teenager cowers in front of the checkout desk. Behind them is a whiteboard that says “Just accept the fact that when you're the entire staff and have a bad day, people are gonna see it, That's what apologies are for.” The other one I like is the same figure bending over an overflowing toilet with the caption, “Taking the plunge took on a whole new meaning when I started working here.” Finally one I doubt many librarians would admit to having a shared experience with, is one where an obese couple are bent over to look at the DVD section and neither one has their derriere adequately covered. This one is captioned thusly “In my next life, I'm mandating taller pants, longer shirts and unisex suspenders.

We exit and walk around the south end where a railing allows everyone to look down at what initially appears to be a termite colony. I admit that it took me three tours before I understood what the boss told me on day one. It's the hall of unfinished projects and ideas. Each of the insect like entities is actually a task, idea or project that he never got to or realized he's never have time to complete, so he tossed them all in a big arena. I'm told that when no one is around, they choose sides and play an old game created by Mad Magazine called 43 Man Squamish.

There are three more rooms currently open to those tour members. The next one has a sign over the door that says “In honor of Dr. Chuckie who taught us that the roof is gonna leak when you least expect it.” Inside are little videos much like you'd see on Youtube or America's Funniest Home Videos. They all feature snippets from his memory of situations that library school could never prepare you for. My favorite is from his days at the Boothbay Harbor Library when he was called by a frantic patron and her husband who had just been fired as managers of a nearby lodging facility and wanted him to come take some books. As the video progresses, you see the couple imploring him to take more and more stuff because they're desperate and can't pack everything. By the time he drives off, his pickup looks like he's headed to join the Beverly Hillbillies and includes three sets of silverware, two dried flower wreaths, pancake mix and maple syrup. In another, he's told by a patron that wild turkey poop killed her husband. It fast forwards to him doing an interview with her for the local newspaper and darned if she wasn't telling the truth. Another favorite is the one featuring a phone call from a woman wanting to reserve the downstairs room for bible study. After he agrees, she asks for directions, and wants to know the nearest intersection coordinates. As the conversation progresses, he realizes that this lady ain't in Hartland Maine, but Hartland Michigan. The offer stands, but he cautions her that her gas bill might be a bit too much. Because there are so many things in this room, we always allow extra time for the tour members to get their fill. It's guaranteed to have half of them laughing and the other half shaking their heads as we move on.

The next room is the one we call 'why a library is like a really fancy restaurant.' When you enter, it's full of holographic images. Most are tables with fine linen cloths and a scattering of books. As you enter, the librarian dressed as a Maitre D, welcomes each tour member and as if being able to read their mind, escorts them to a table, where, Viola! They find a bunch of books that are perfect for them. This is an active reminder room that reinforces two things. A good librarian doesn't have to read everything, but if he/she wants to be really good, they must pay attention to who read what and really liked it and what authors have excited other readers who like these books. This makes pleasing patrons a heck of a lot easier.

The last room has a sign over the door that has a bus with a teen about to be run over inside a big red circle with a diagonal line through it. Inside are endless titles of juvenile and young adult novels scrolling across each wall, followed by reviews he's posted online. Every so often there are random quotes in bold between the reviews. Among them we see the following. “Why do librarians spend so much time trying to get little kids to use libraries, only to avoid them and their needs when they catch the dread disease called puberty?” Then there's “Every day at least one teen will come into your library desperate to be listened to with respect. Will you notice which one it is?” The one I like best is “Almost every teen does the impossible. They grow up, and even more amazing they just might cast the vote that saves the library budget five years from now.”

I notice the tour members are much quieter as we exit the building. In fact almost all of them forget to grab their smartphones as we come out into sunlight again. Maybe they saw something on the tour that was more important than texting. I hope so.

We hope you have enjoyed this tour of a librarian's brain. If someone were to tour yours, what would they find?

Written by John Clark, Hartland Public Library

Annual Report Now Available

Sat, 15 Nov 2014 19:20:58 GMT

Just in time for the Joint Conference and Annual Business Meeting!

Maine Library Association 2013-2014 Annual Report.pdf

Preparing to Close the Door and Turn Out the Lights

Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:00:00 GMT

After creating, merging, or fixing close to 50,000 bibliographic records and processing some 15,000 interlibrary loans, I'm ready to hand the Hartland Public Library over to someone else. My wife retired in May and is taking care of our first granddaughter, a job less stressful and far more fun than her having to ride herd on a couple hundred nursing students. My body and my brain keep telling me I should follow suit, so I've set next June 1st as my final day as a full time librarian.

If you look around at any gathering of Maine librarians these days, you're likely to see more gray than any other hair color. Tonight, I had dinner with several other Tri-County librarians at Pat's Pizza in Dexter. Two retired this year and at least one more is thinking about it. I doubt these statistics would be much different in similar informal gatherings of Maine librarians these days. Let's face it, fear of economic inadequacy has kept/keeps many of us working beyond a personal comfort point, but we're getting a tad long in the tooth.

I'm writing this because I've spent a lot of time thinking about some of the emotional and intangible aspects of retirement and want to share what I've concluded. Maybe none of it will be useful or of interest to you. I hope for some, the opposite is true. I very clearly remember a syndrome that was common when I worked in inpatient mental health. Plenty of people were like my good friend Jon M. who looked at me one day when we were duck hunting and said: “When I'm not working, there are times when I have no idea who I am.” He was dead serious. So many of us who worked in mental health put so much of ourselves into the job that it became as much who we were as anything else in our lives. As I've worked to make the Hartland Public Library the best possible library I could, I've realized that some of that has carried over. While what I've created is pretty darn good, I know that on June 1, 2015, it's no longer my baby and part of my job between now and that day is to ensure that I'm as okay as possible with that. To get there and remain sane, there are a number of things I've decided I need to do. I'm sharing them with you in hopes that one or more of them might be helpful when you make this important decision. I list them in no particular order.

1-Patrons, particularly in a small library have a comfort level with the librarian, the collection and the environment. It's important to reassure them that whoever takes over will be caring and competent and will have gotten some tips on who likes what. They also need to know that nobody is irreplaceable and that someone else's style of operation may be just as satisfying after the initial adjustment period is over. This attention to patrons needs to happen with all ages. Teens, tweens and little kids have just as much investment in the library as adults.

2-Sharing your prejudices with your successor isn't going to help anything. Face it, we all have patrons who irritate the hell out of us, often for reasons we can't put our finger on (I had three of them in the library at the same time this afternoon). Sharing those with whoever takes over might derail a productive connection for everyone concerned.

3-Take time to write as thorough a handbook as possible. Remember how you felt when you first took over. Things like who empties the trash, mows the lawn, handles the plumbing, what E-rate is all about and who to call. Create a list of important phone numbers including other libraries. If you have special relationships with particular libraries (like we have with Newport and Pittsfield), explain them in sufficient detail. If you have go-to people for certain things like cataloging, add them to the handbook. Include volunteers you use regularly and if they have a particular skill, note it. Explain things like how ILL and the van delivery work. Your successor may already know all this stuff, but taking the time to create a handbook will make you feel good about what you've done and may spark an idea for something you completely forgot.

4-Leave them a list of who loves what author so they can surprise a few patrons early in the game.

5-Leave them another list of people you think would make great library board members or trustees. Remember, you didn't work all those years just to have some idiot get on the board and screw everything up.

6-Decide what level of availability you're comfortable with. In one person libraries like Hartland, finding capable substitutes isn't always easy. Are you willing to fill in when your successor gets sick or has a vacation and nobody is available to cover? Likewise, are you willing to volunteer in some capacity, assuming your successor is okay with that?

7-Brainstorm a list of things you never finished or quite got to. You'll feel better and hopefully your successor will appreciate having a direction to go in once their feet are wet.

8-Decide what stuff you really need to bring home and what you're comfortable leaving behind.

9-Realize that no matter how much time and effort you put into these things, like everything else in life, you're going to realize it's incomplete at least half a dozen times, so cut yourself some slack. Being human isn't a crime AND you're getting older, so brain slumps go with the territory.

Now for the emotional stuff. This is the tricky part of this process. I come home on days when I have a volunteer helper to let the family dog out. Lately these warm October afternoons make it extremely difficult to go back to work. That book I couldn't quite finish reading last night and the chair on the back deck really look more inviting than returning to the library and calling people about overdues. Developing an emotional detachment from the job and doing so gracefully isn't particularly easy. If you catch yourself being grumpier more often and for longer periods of time, consider the source. Likewise for that less than enthusiastic getting out of bed to greet another day of work. If you're like me, some mornings, those covers look pretty darn sexy, especially compared with the knowledge that you'll have to deal with 25 interlibrary loan requests as soon as you fire up the computer.

Another area that has the potential to become a slippery slope is the mental shrug. Sure the day when everything will become someone else's problem is approaching, but until that day, it's important to keep things in balance. On the other side of this coin, don't throw away vacation time just because retirement is approaching. I have 85 hours left this year and I'm using every dang one of them.

Perhaps the trickiest issue, for me, at least, is achieving a feeling of okayness about not being part of the library. Until I actually retire, I won't know whether I'll get up in the morning and be looking forward to a clean slate for the day or fighting a feeling that I'm no longer relevant. I'll get back to you on that one.

Finally, what, if anything will you carry from your library job into retirement. While I plan to read my brains out and amp up my writing career, there are still parts of being a librarian I really like, enough so I want, or think I want to keep doing them after June first. I've got four things on that list. I'm considering hiring out as a freelance weeder for librarians/libraries where killing their babies is too painful. Second, I've really developed a liking for cataloging, particularly original cataloging, so I might offer my services one day a week for libraries where lack of staff creates a serious backlog of stuff that needs to go on the shelves. Third, I've heard from a number of people that having someone willing to hire out as a temporary library professional to cover unexpected vacancies or illnesses for short periods of time would be very well received by the library community. Finally, I'm willing and interested in continuing to handle the sales of items on Amazon for the Hartland Public Library. I'm good at it and that would free up whoever replaces me to focus on some of those things I never quite got around to doing.

I hope you found this interesting and maybe a bit helpful. I'd very much like to hear your thoughts about this article and retirement.

John Clark, Hartland Public Library

Communications Committee Seeking Nominations for 2014 Journalist & Librarian of the Year Awards

Kara Reiman — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 20:07:58 GMT

The MLA Communications Committee is hereby accepting nominations for the 2014 Outstanding Librarian and the Journalism awards. Download the nomination forms at: http://mainelibraries.org/page-1686488. Deadline for nominations is October 15th. The awards will be presented at the MLA/MASL Joint Conference in Bangor on November 16th-17th.

CSLP Manual Order form open

Jenna Blake Davis — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:00:00 GMT

YSS has opened the online form so that interested libraries can order their copy of next year's Summer Reading Program Manaual

In search of new committee members

Kara Reiman — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:36:21 GMT

The scholarship committee is in need of 2 new members. If you're interested in getting involved, please contact MLA president Nissa Flanagan at (nissa.lohrmann@gmail.com)

Book Reviews

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:30:00 GMT

A Series of Book Reviews from Maine Librarians.

From Nancy Noble, Archivist/Cataloger, Maine Historical Society:

I just read Simon Armitage’s Walking home : a poet’s journey. Published in 2013, this book details his walk along the Pennine Way in England, which is much like America’s Appalachian Trail. Armitage exchanges room and board at various venues for reading his poems, to a variety of audiences, including appreciative, at times. Not only did I learn about this trail, but I enjoyed Armitage’s wit and honesty about himself.

This book brought to mind another wonderful book, by Baron Wormser, The Road washes out in spring: a poet’s memoir of living off the grid. Baron Wormser was the Poet Laureate of Maine in 2000, and at the time of his book, lived in Madison, Maine, where he was a librarian for the local school district. Anyone who lives rural in Maine (and experiences mud season) will appreciate and enjoy this book.

From Katie Connor, Brewer Public Library:

Longbourn, by Jo Baker, is a fascinating twist on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. For all those who loved Austen's social criticism, this provides an eye-opening peek into the belowstairs world. Focusing on the housemaid, Sarah, the footman, James, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Hill, this book leads the reader through all Longbourn's secrets, from rooms you never saw before, to secrets no one wanted you to know. Though initially it may seem like a slow read, Jo Baker knows how to hit the reader where it counts, leaving you spinning and eager to read more.

From Jennifer Stone, Old Town High School Library Media Specialist:

The Truth About Alice

by Jennifer Mathieu
Publisher: Roaring Book Press

Genre: YA
Expected Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Author Website: http://www.jennifermathieu.com/

Book Summary from Goodreads: Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.

My Thoughts: I received an advance copy of Jennifer Mathieu’s debut novel from NetGalley and it kept me turning the pages. It’s a powerful story about the impact of rumors, what friendship means and discovering friendships in the most unlikely people. The story is told in alternating chapters between Elaine, Kelsie, Kurt and Josh with the last chapter by Alice.

Kelsie: “The hard truth is I think I knew we weren’t going to be friends anymore the day after Elaine’s party when I read the text about her and Brandon and Tommy Cray. It sounds terrible and shallow and not at all like something the Kelsie Sanders I knew in Flint would have said, but I’ve spent too many years sitting alone in the cafeteria, and I just can’t handle doing it again. And I won’t.”

Young adults will definitely identify and connect with the characters and as someone who is around teenagers all the time I found the writing style to be very similar to how teenagers think and speak. There are some important lessons in this book and this would be a great book for discussion, whether in a class or book club. I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this for my library, I’ve already had one student upset that they couldn’t get the book NOW!

Personality and Fiction Choices

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:00:00 GMT

This article comes from Jeanne Madden, Head of User Services, Falmouth Memorial Library. It was originally published in The Shopping Notes.

Talk with any of your friends and you will find that you probably have different tastes in the types of books you prefer to read. Many people stick to one fiction genre while others bounce around. While it is simple to ask WHAT types of fiction readers enjoy, I started to think about WHY readers choose the genres they do.

There have actually been some studies done on this topic of preferences and they found that personality has a lot to do with it. That seems obvious. For example, my personality is very different from others and your personality is different from mine, so we probably gravitate toward different types of movies, television and books. But think about your fiction choices in terms of your Myers-Briggs assessment (we have probably all had this done at some point), or by looking at “The Big Five.” In psychology, the Five-Factor Inventory model is the widely accepted theory that establishes five factors to describe human personality: openness to experiences (OPE), conscientiousness (CON), extraversion (EXT), agreeableness (AGR) and neuroticism (NEU).

Studies were conducted using the Big Five factors to determine preferences for various entertainment domains called Domain-specific Personality-based User Stereotypes. Looking at just the book domain it is interesting to see that people with a high degree of OPE tend to like poetry and science fiction, whereas those with a low degree of OPE prefer drama, scary and crime books.

Of course, being the librarian that I am, I had to go online and find where I could take a free “Big Five Personality Test” to find out my score. Turns out my highest score is in EXT which, according to the study, reflects how much an individual is oriented towards things outside themselves and derive satisfaction from interacting with other people. It also indicates that females with a high EXT score are drawn to “scary” books. This makes sense to me since I am the librarian who focuses on paranormal fiction with vampires, werewolves, evil fairies and more.

For fun I asked my fellow library staff members to share with me not only what they read but why. I got some great answers and want to share a couple with you.

“I love reading fiction not so much as an escape but to experience life through another lens; a different era, worldview, gender, culture, etc. I also love sci-fi and fantasy because again, it’s a way to experience the human condition in another context, but it’s grappling with essentially what it means to be human. And I really like Steampunk because… well, it’s got widgets and I really want aviator goggles to be everyday fashion.” Megan S.

“I’m drawn to and gravitate toward the memoir genre. I’ve thought long and hard as to why I’m so fascinated by other’s semi-autobiographical view of their lives…is it because 1) my life is boring and predictable, a bit too normal, or 2) I’m grateful that my life IS so stable, vibrant, full of fun times, good friends, loving family, a wonderful career…which lends itself to reading about those who aren’t as fortunate? The jury is still out. Bottom line…I love memoirs.” Nina M.

So, what does your reading selection say about you? In the end people’s reading choices are their own concern and the reasons why these choices are made is up to them. The most important thing is that people read – whether for pleasure or education, to escape into another world or to learn more about their own – we must keep reading. Go ahead and ask one of your friends why they choose the genres they do – or ask a library staff member the next time you are in. You may be surprised to hear the reasons for the choices they make and may even get to know them a little better.

Looking for your next read? Maybe we will have to add personality assessments to our Reader’s Advisory Services… well, maybe not. The library’s website has a number of tools to help you determine your next read. Visit www.falmouthmemoriallibrary.org and select the “Find a good book” link under the Reader’s Corner tab. This will lead you to a number of tools to help you find your next book.

My Library Memories

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:05:54 GMT

The following is from Carla McAllister about her library memories. It was originally used for the 125th anniversary of the New Gloucester Public Library. Do you have library memories you'd like to share as a blog post? Email us at mlatozeditor@gmail.com

Locked in the Library

by Carla McAllister

December 2013

When I was young and growing up in a small New Hampshire town, I visited our library on a regular basis. Back in the day, when borrowing an item, one wrote one’s name on the card tucked into the pocket in the back of each book. Proponents of rights to privacy might blanch when reminded of this practice. It was amusing to me that, as I got older, I would often see that my mother and I chose the same titles, her familiar signature apparent on the sign out card.

My mother was an avid reader and became a published author, newspaper writer, and photographer. She read to my brother and me nearly every evening. This instilled in us both a lifelong love of reading. I can, today, read under nearly any circumstance. I can read in a bowling alley and often did so when I was a member of a bowling league; I can read with music or television blaring around me; I can read in a boat, in a plane, on a treadmill, and while walking on a sidewalk, which I did through my school years as it was about a mile to school. I can read for hours in a vehicle, preferably with a supply of chocolate near to hand. I would often rather read than interact with people.

My mother owned and loved two different black VW beetles. As I was always small for my age, I fit quite nicely for many years in the luggage space right under the back window. This is where I would sit with my books as we rode around doing errands. I had no seat belt, heaven forbid, and I am sure this practice would be discouraged and surely against the law today.

I was never more content than when I rode my bicycle to the library and returned with my baskets overflowing with books. Looking back at pictures from my childhood, often I have a book in my hands and piles of books surrounding me. I can easily recall what was taking place and what my feelings were at any given time by looking at the covers of what I was reading. My mother would scold me when visiting relatives, as I would often curl up somewhere to read rather than join in the conversation. I know parents now who would like to have such a problem; parents whose children would rather do anything other than read.

My new husband has become reconciled to the fact that I will, most likely, forgo going into any store, be it a grocery store or Home Depot, so that I might read, and he will automatically park in such a way that I can alternate between my reading and people watching. In the dark, this requires that he find a space with a streetlight shining in my side of the vehicle. He is well-trained at this point. Additionally, more likely than not, he will return with some form of chocolate for me.

I always carry books with me; one I am reading and two others in case I finish my current choice. Two, in case one of the back-ups is not to my immediate liking. It is absolutely astonishing how much reading one can accomplish while waiting, waiting for the dentist or doctor to call you in, waiting for a prescription to be filled, waiting for commercials to end, waiting for your husband to pump the gas, or waiting for him to check out that tractor or some such item for sale on the roadside. In my case, I often have tons of time to read when he is in a hardware store or lumber supply outlet.

I have often said that I would need no anesthesia while undergoing dental work or perhaps even a colonoscopy, as long as I had an interesting book to read. When visiting homes where no reading material is apparent, I am appalled and cannot imagine living under such conditions. Bathroom visits require reading material. When none is on hand, I have been known to read Lysol bottles, disinfectant spray bottles, toilet bowl cleaner bottles and directions on prescription bottles. What one finds in bathrooms not one’s own, can be revealing, humorous and sometimes distressing.

Like my parents, I am extremely frugal, some might say tight, and reading is such an inexpensive pastime that it fits my needs perfectly. One can obtain nearly any title either through the local library or through Interlibrary Loan, a fabulous resource of which many remain unaware. Sure, there are the new-fangled e-readers and the like, but to read a book all one needs is a book and a light source; no fully-charged battery, available wi-fi or pricy and often maddening device. Plus, I would rather lose a book somewhere than lose an expensive e-reader.

When I was laid off after over eleven years of working at an Auburn Payroll company, I decided I would pursue a job I could really love, so I took classes in librarianship. After obtaining a degree, I was on the look-out for a job in a small public library. They are few and far between. When the New Gloucester Public Library opening was advertised, I thought that I would never be lucky enough to be chosen. Ultimately I was offered the position and I felt as if I had won the lottery.

When I was young, I dreamed of inadvertently getting locked in the library overnight. I even thought of ways I might make it happen. Well, here I am now at the New Gloucester Public Library and I could not be happier. During my hour long lunch each day, I choose to be locked in the library…I enjoy that hour immensely.

I have two addictions to which I will admit; chocolate and reading. I have a cache of chocolate items squirreled away, I am working with books, I have avenues to knowledge at my disposal, my working atmosphere is positive and people I see each day are (nearly always) pleasant, and my colleague is every bit as much of a bibliophile and chocoholic as I, and I admit to hanging in the library after closing to read and live the fantasy.

My library memories are myriad and, as you can see, I could not make this short and sweet. I will say, my childhood dream of being ‘locked in the library’ has come true and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

I've got the Money, Honey, If You Have the Time

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:28:35 GMT

It's been a while since I went to a major conference. Limited help and budgets will do that to you. When I heard that this year's Evergreen International Conference was going to be in Cambridge, MA, I decided to heck with it, I'm going. I attended the first one in GA 5 years ago when the Maine Balsam Libraries Consortium was in its infancy. After what I saw and heard in Cambridge, I can tell you that both the software and the community using it have come a long way.

We started on version 1.209 if I remember correctly. The newest stable release is 2.5 and developers are already talking about what to add to 2.7. When we formed Balsam, the major clusters of Evergreen users were in South Carolina, British Columbia and Indiana. Today, pretty much all of GA, SC, IN, BC and MA are in, Mobius in MO, a group in TX, and other clusters in WA, OR, MI, CT, NH, OH and AK are expanding. On the international front, Evergreen is being adopted in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Canada, India, The Republic of Georgia and Tasmania.

Many of you know that I worked with Karl Beiser to support Innovative’s Millennium software. In that role, I attended several Innovative Users' Group Meetings. There were a bunch of people every year who dazzled me with their creativity and innovation at those meetings. I saw many of those same people at the Evergreen conference and they're applying their 'Star Wars' cool to open source now. That really excites me. My biggest problem with Millennium was the way enhancements and new features were selected. It was done by ballot and the academic libraries always seemed to trump what public libraries wanted for new features.

With Evergreen, the situation is completely different. Let's say there's a new component or feature you'd kill to have in the software, but it would cost $20,000 to develop it. The way the Evergreen community is structured, any number of libraries or consortia can pool funds and hire someone like Equinox Library Services to develop the code. Once it's working and blessed by the Evergreen oversight committee, it's rolled into the next release. Your consortium might only be able to pony up $1,000, but every little bit helps. There's also a website where bugs can be reported and tracked by a cadre of librarians three times smarter about this stuff than I'll ever be.

If you're interested in the development side, or simply want to lurk, these sharp pencils meet regularly on IRC and welcome new blood. The Evergreen community also has several listservs that are open to anyone interested in learning about Evergreen. Those, and most links related to Evergreen, can be found at http://evergreen-ils.org/ and the Evergreen wiki is here http://wiki.evergreen-ils.org/doku.php

So, you wonder, what happened at the conference? There were sessions on the git tutorial, documentation and developer hackfests, “Hello Reports: Stumbling toward the data you need,” “It's Funny Afterward: Technical tales of tragedy...and recovery,” “Evergreen Welcome Panel,”(I was on this), “The Import/Export Business: Working with Vandelay in Evergreen,” “Consider the KPAC: Implement and customize the children's catalog,” “License to ILL: How Equinox turned Evergreen 2.o into FulfILLment@, an open source resources sharing platform,” “Being the Cat Herder: Managing an open source software release,” “Batches, Buckets & Bookbags,” “Tiny Budget, Abundant Results: Creating an online catalog at Georgia's Governor's Mansion with Evergreen,” “Authority Control in Evergreen: The straight dope,” “Three Dozen Is a CrowdundefinedDeduplication,” A Practical Serials Walkthrough,” Structured Library Data: Holdings, libraries and beyond,” “Exploring a Browser-Based Staff Client,” and “SQL for Librarians.”

Pretty much every session's slides, handouts, documentation and links will be collected over the next couple of weeks and made available as links from one site. As with most conferences, one of the best aspects was the sharing and networking. One of my interests, stemming back to my days at the Maine State Library, is getting additional Z39.50 resources for catalogers. I'm in the process of swapping ours with two of the consortia who were there and may explore additional ones with single libraries that have extremely unique collections. I returned home, energized and enthusiastic, but a bit overwhelmed at all the information that was sent my way.

Now to why this piece is titled as it is. We received a grant from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation last year to help libraries interested in joining the Maine Balsam Libraries Consortium with migration costs. If what you have read here whets your interest, I, or project manager Chris Maas, will be happy to talk with you and do our best to answer any questions you might have. My email is berek@tds.net and the phone number at the Hartland Public Library is 938-4702.

Use These Tools!

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:24:28 GMT

In March, Deb Clark, SMLD Consultant, Laurel Parker from Windham Public Library, Annika Black from Norway Memorial Library, and Mary Beckett from Edythe L. Dyer Community Library in Hampden attended the one-day conference in Worcester, MA of the New England Roundtable of Teen’s and Children’s Librarians (NERTCL). This year’s conference focused on “Kids and Technology.” The following series of blog posts are reports from each of the attendees.

Use These Tools!

This presentation featured several Youth Services Librarians discussing various websites that they use and why we should consider using them. Websites included YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, Vine, and Minecraft. I found the YouTube presentation particularly compelling. Ideas discussed included uploading short videos of librarians demonstrating rhymes and fingerplays. This creates a learning opportunity for parents and also a way to promote library story times to young patrons. Videos could embedded into library websites or shared on the library Facebook pages. I thought book trailers created by young patrons would be fun to share. This librarian also uploads video of programs. She seemed a bit lax in regards to patron privacy stating that it is legal to photograph or video people in a public place. While it may be legal to do this I think there are ethical issues to take into consideration. The presentation on Pinterest was also interesting. The Librarian presenting uses this site to feature a children’s book illustration of the day and links to book trailers. This was a fun session offering an opportunity to see how others are using popular online tools to enhance their library programming.

Mary Beckett from Edythe Dyer Community Library in Hampden.

E-Books and Publishing Workshop

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:22:15 GMT

E-Books and Publishing Workshop presented by Noreen O’Gara, Bedford (MA) Free Public Library.

A great history of systems using computers for storing texts, electronic ink, reading devices, and where we are today was presented. In 2007 eReaders became available with content from Amazon and sold out in 5 ½ hours. Backorders were finally filled in April of 2008. When iPads hit the market in 2010 it was the end of the boom years for dedicated eReaders. 2011 saw Penguin refused to sell new content to libraries. HarperCollins placed a 26 time check out limit on library eBooks on March 7, 2011. Random House tripled the cost of eBooks to libraries in March 2012. More tablets than eReaders were being sold in 2012, with android almost doubling the sales of Apple. Getting content is now complex with considerations including publishers, printers, device makers, and content providers. Be leary of subscription services stating that they are “fabulous” and “hand-curated” (movies, apps, books, etc.) such as Kindle Free Time ($2.99/$4.99/$9.99 per month), Oyster ($9.95/mo) Scribd (8.99/mo) Entitle (2 books/month, $9.99).

The Minuteman (MA) Consortium buys an Overdrive shared collection. 80% of the titles are for adults, 20% for children. Studies show that 28% of adults have read on an electronic device and 46% of kids have read on electronic devices. In looking at the Maine Info Net Overdrive a breakdown of adult vs. children’s titles is not readily available. James Jackson Sanborn did pass along to me, “In terms of new YA or child content, the apparent lack of that content could be due to the lack of requests coming through the system coupled with the availability or lack thereof in ebook or e-audiobook format. Although we have a few people who make selections with an eye toward YA lit, most of our collection is built by responding to direct user requests that are made through the search system.” Children’s and Young Adult librarians…let’s get involved!

Laurel T. Parker

Children's Librarian

Windham Public Library

Technology in School Libraries

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:19:21 GMT

Library Instructor Teacher Jen Reed presented on the various technology tools she uses with her students during library classes. Her PPT can be found here. First, she sets up her learning commons to make it flexible and conducive to student-driven learning. Her stacks are on wheels and her furniture is moveable. The laptops, which are always out, and other tech tools are easily available to the students. She describes her library as “organized chaos” with her as a “guide on the side” to assist student exploration and learning.

Some of the literacy-related activities she facilitates are making Wordles and Tagzedo word clouds about books, creating book spine poems, and letting children record themselves with an iPad talking about a book. (She always instructs students not to record their faces.) The students can use Animoto to create book talks and book trailers, Skype with others to discuss what they are reading, and use tools like Kid Pix, Comet Creator, and Flip cameras to create visual presentations about favorite stories.

Reed ties all her programming to the Essential Learning Targets and Common Core. She regularly collaborates with the greater community through library events, makerspaces, author visits, and a summer reading program. Reed believes students need information, guidance, resources, space to explore, and an audience to encourage high quality learning. She documents her programs and examples of student work at her school district’s website to better share with parents and the community.

Submitted by Deborah Clark, SMLD Consultant

Kids and Technology

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:15:30 GMT

Embrace your Inner Tech Goddess or God!

This first presentation was my favorite because it involved new ideas interspersed with the actual technology being used for a particular program. Cindy Wall and Lynn Pawloski presented a high energy presentation chock full of ideas. Their excitement and creativity was contagious. The program started off by showing the app for The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. With it you can go into the world of the story by learning about pianos, book repair, and even storms. Over the next hour, Cindy and Lynn described various activities which involved technology as a part of their programs. Here is a brief description of some of them.

Maximizing attendance

We all know how hard it is to plan for programs, because even if there is required registration, some people never come, while others drop in that day. In order to fill up their programs with as many children as possible, they ask the adult signing up for a $3 deposit for one child and $6 for a family. This is only to ensure that the patron actually comes to the event, and when they arrive for the program, they get their money back. However, if the patron needs to cancel and gives the library enough time to call the first person on the waiting list, then they also receive their money back.

e Tots

Ages 2 to 6 yrs

This is an interactive story time with children and their caregiver that involves using an iPad. They explained that one computer account can have up to 10 devices registered under it. This allows the librarian to buy 10 songs or app’s for the price of one. An iPad poem is used to teach proper use. It is based on 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe and this is how it goes:

1, 2 Clean my hands

3, 4 Sit on the floor

5, 6 Tap the app

7,8 Look, listen, and wait

9,10 Swipe the page

Now it is time to read again!

Older children and Transmedia

These programs were for school age children. The topics included:

The Solar System with The Cat in the Hat app’s and modeling clay,

A monthly art program called Pixels and Pencil’s where there was 15 of app time and then 30 minutes of creation time.

Explore the Titanic, using a 3d movie, Her Story app, a fish tank and frozen balloons, and hidden tickets under chairs of actual passenger on board, that had to be researched through an app.

Al Capone Does my Shirts book discussion with two games where you had to get onto an island and one where you had to try and get off it, and a Mug Shot app.

The story of Hugo Cabaret, Stop motion filming, and using story board templates.

Through their whole presentation they emphasized that these programs do not need to be perfect, just fun. They will be doing a webinar through ALSC on April 9^th and 24^th. There is a fee.

Submitted by Annika Black, Norway Memorial Library

Nominations Sought for 2013 Outstanding Librarian Award

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 13:15:33 GMT

Nominations are now being sought for the 2013 Outstanding Librarian Award. The selected recipient will be presented the award at the upcoming MLA/NELA conference in October.

The deadline for nominations is September 30, 2013 at 5:00 pm. Nominations should be sent electronically to Jeannie Madden at jmadden@falmouth.lib.me.us.

Nomination Form

MLA Meeting at NELA Conference

Jenna Blake Davis — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:52:09 GMT

We have just confirmed that MLA's membership meeting at the NELA Conference will be held on Monday, Oct. 21st at 8am in the York Room. Please join the MLA Council if you are attending the conference.

Banned Books Week

Jenna Blake Davis — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 18:32:40 GMT

Banned Books Week is September 22-28 this year. The whole topic of privacy and intellectual freedom is very much on people's minds this year, courtesy of the NSA, so celebrating Banned Books Week in our libraries is especially timely, as is highlighting what libraries are doing to protect the reading and computer use privacy of patrons.

If you wish to order posters or other display materials from ALA, check http://ala-publishing.informz.net/InformzDataService/OnlineVersion/Individua

l?mailingInstanceId=3452267&subscriberId=1026699415.

For more info, http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/and http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek.

Jim Campbell, Chair

MLA Intellectual Freedom Committee

Scholarship & Loan Conference Grants

Tue, 13 Aug 2013 13:41:36 GMT

Application deadline for four conference grants of up to $250.00 is September 30 this year.

Bibionix Grant for MLA/NELA Conference

Jenna Blake Davis — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 21:45:24 GMT

In keeping with Biblionix’s devotion to small and medium sized public libraries, we offer a $250.00 stipend for public librarians to attend the combined MLA/NELA Conference October 20-22, 2013. Eligibility requirements are:

•o Library director or staff at a public library in Maine

•o Member of MLA

The funds can be used to cover conference expenses, including the following:

•- Conference Registration

•- Pre-conference workshops

•- Travel costs/mileage

•- Meals

•- Lodging

•- Cost of replacement staff if needed

Requirements are:

Volunteer for a minimum of 2 hours at the conference
- 2 hours minimum SLC Basket Raffle (arrange schedule with Ann Rea librarian@bealcollege.edu)
Attend the MLA business meeting
Attend meals with speakers

See brochure for full details: Biblionix Grant

MLA Election Results

Jenna Blake Davis — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 21:55:18 GMT

The Maine Library Association is happy to report that balloting has been completed for the officer for the 2013-14 year. Please join is in congratualting:

Bryce Cundick of the University of Maine at Farmington who has been elected to serve a two-year term as Vice President and will move on at the end of that term to become MLA's next President.

Jennifer Andrews of Simmons College who has been elected to serve as a Member-At-Large (1 Year Term)

Charlene Churchill from Ellsworth Public Library has been selected as a Member -At-Large (2 year Term)

The Maine Library Association Council congratulates these members who are stepping up to serve as well as extending your congraulations to Nissa Flanagan our incoming President who will assume her office on July 1st.

At the same time please also join the Council in sending heartiest good wishes to Andi Jackson-Darling our retiring President for her very able efforts during the past two years to keep MLA on course. Great job Andi!

Genna Duplisea awarded Ainsworth Scholarship

Jenna Blake Davis — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:22:01 GMT

The Scholarship & Loan Committee of MLA is pleased to announce that MLA’s Phyllis Ainsworth Scholarship has been awarded to Genna Duplisea of Holden, Maine. This scholarship is awared annually. For more information go to theScholarship & Loan COmmittee page

Phyllis Ainsworth Scholarship

Jenna Blake Davis — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:17:13 GMT

The 2013 Phyllis Ainsworth Scholar isGenna Duplisea of Holden, Maine. Genna attends Simmons College in Boston.

This $2,000 scholarship is for any MLA member enrolled in a Master's degree program in library studies. For more information and an application form, go to the Scholarship & Loan page under committees on the MLA web page www.mainelibraries.org.

Debbie Lozito

Co-chair, MLA Scholarship and Loan Committee debbie.lozito@edythedyer.lib.me.us

Lupine and Katahdin Information added to YSS pages

Jenna Blake Davis — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:58:26 GMT

YSS has been busy updating their portion of the MLA site and you can now find several lists of past Lupine and Kathadin winners. Just click on the Committees link and then Youth Services Section to see them. Way to go YSS.

MLA sets Annual Meeting for May10th at Waterville PL

Jenna Blake Davis — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:40:32 GMT

MLA is pleased to announce that our Annual meeting will take place on May 10th at Wterville Public Library in Waterville, ME. 1-4pm.

The plan is to have the candidates vying for election on hand as well as using this meeting as an opportunity for MLA members to voice their needs and discuss MLA's future. Please visit the Annual Meeting event page to register (no cost involved) and join us for a lively discussion of our future together.

Membership Update

Jenna Blake Davis — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:33:12 GMT

The 2013 membership campaign is doing well. We have 237 renewed and new members and several more in the pending stage. If you haven't renewed we invite you to use the new site to complete that process.

Final step completed for MLA website

Jenna Blake Davis — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:29:46 GMT

Today we finished redirecting our Domain Name Servers to the new website. Visitors will be able to visit our new pages and members will be able to correct their own membership records, renew their memberships online and register for events. Even non-members will be able to register for MLA events from this new site.

MLA Moves to new website

Jenna Blake Davis — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 19:14:46 GMT

MLA is excited to join many other professional organizations in providing a web site where events and membership can be handled by members and attendees online.

E-Books and E-Content

Jenna Blake Davis — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:18:45 GMT

The Maine Library Association (MLA) has joined other state library associations in providing information to our library patrons about the issues surrounding eContent accessibility, or lack of, through libraries.

MLA is providing its members with a form letter their library patrons can send to publishers requesting better delivery of digital content through libraries. MLA has also provided a flyer that explains the differing policies of the major publishers regarding selling eBooks and/or eAudiobooks to libraries. Both the sample letter and the flyer are available for download from the Maine Library Association’s website.

Libraries are also encouraged to ask their Board of Trustees to pass a resolution in support of increased access to eBooks for Maine library patrons.

Please feel free to download this information and provide it to your library patrons.