March 2012 (Vol. 18, no. 3)

From the Editor

Paralibrarian of the Year – The Library Journal’s Paralibrarian of the Year for 2012 is Linda Dahlquist, Reference Associate, Volusia County Public Library, Florida.

Congratulations Linda.

You can read Linda’s story at: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/02/people/paralibrarian-of-the-year-2012-linda-dahlquist/

The New York State Library Assistants’ Association has received an official Legislative Resolution from the State of New York Assembly for Library Assistants’ Day to be held Thursday, April 12, 2012 in the State of New York.

If anyone would like a copy of the Legislative Resolution please let me know at associates@hotkey.net.au.

Column

Be It Ever So Humble… by Sue Knoche
Trials and tribulations of library work.

Feature

What book are you currently reading or have just recently finished. Also, let us know if you are reading the book using an electronic device
Readers share their current reading material in both paper and electronic formats.

News from Canada by Karen Hildebrandt
Karen shares with us what is happening with the Canadian Library Association and lists the upcoming conferences.

Food for Thought–Visual Shelf Reading: One Library’s Process by Linda D. Lemery
An organized method of keeping the library books under control.

Nuggets of Wisdom by Tinker Massey
The absolutely essential role of communication in team building and workplace morale.

Associates Collaborate to Lead a Staff Meeting at Gordon Library, Worcester Polytechnic Institute by Jackie Mushinsky
Library Support Staff provide an excellent team building exercise in a staff meeting.

Working in an Old Library by Allison Sloan
There’s good and bad to old buildings.

What Your Library Skills are Worth on the Open Market by Vivian Walker
Hints for what to do when your library world slips out from under your feet.

Spotlight

Kim Barbato, Central Islip, New York
Kim is a library assistant at the Gould Law Library.

Megan O’Brien, Sydney, Australia
Megan is the Arts Services Team Coordinator working at the Fisher Library, University of Sydney.

Review

Free eBooks without the eBook Reader. Really! by Michael D. Brooks
How and where to get ebooks for your computer.

Andy McDermott’s “Temple of the Gods” by Jim Jackson
A detailed review of a good action book.

Library Association/Conference Information

American Library Association Annual Conference – Transforming our Libraries, Ourselves, Anaheim, Ca, June 21 – 26, 2012
http://www.alaannual.org/

New York State Library Assistants’ Association Conference – Library Assistants: Keeping Libraries Afloat, Niagara Falls, NY, June 6-8, 2012
http://www.nyslaa.org/conference.html

Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference – Book to the Future, Worcester, Mass, May 9 & 10, 2012
http://www.masslib.net/conference/2012Conference/
The Paralibrarian section will be sponsoring five activities at the conference: Paralibrarian Inspirations, Advocate Awards, Children’s Authors, New Career Paths and Book Cart Drill Team Competition.

The CLA Conference in Ottawa from May 30–June 2
http://www.cla.ca/conference/2012/program_at_a_glance.html

British Columbia Library Conference “Licensed to Read” May 10-12
http://www.bclibraryconference.ca/

Alberta Library Conference “iLibrary: Tag you’re it” April 26-29
http://www.albertalibraryconference.com/

Alberta Association of Library Technicians Conference “Achieving Balance” May 3-6
http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1001883

Saskatchewan Library Conference “Celebrating our Past, Embracing our Future” May 3-5
http://saskla.ca/conferences/

Manitoba Library Conference May 14-16
http://www.manitobalibrariesconference.ca/

Ontario Library Technicians Association “Blazing New Trails” May 2-5
http://www.oaltabo.on.ca/node/473

Atlantic Provinces Library Conference “Discovering Hidden Treasures” May 22-25
http://library.acadiau.ca/APLA2012/

Associates website: LSS updates

A New Round of Library Support Staff Certification Registration Assistance Awards Offered by LSSIRT and Seven States

Trish Palluck, Chair of the Library Support Staff Interests Round Table (LSSIRT) announced today that LSSIRT is offering another round of financial assistance to library support staff applying for certification in the American Library Association’s Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program. The LSSC Program offers library support staff the opportunity to achieve recognition for their existing skills and knowledge, to gain new skills and knowledge, and to enhance their library’s service to the public.

Seven states are also participating: The Colorado Library Consortium, Idaho Commission for Libraries, State Library of Louisiana, Mississippi Library Commission, Oregon State Library, Washington State Library, and the Wyoming State Library.

The Library Support Staff Interest Round Table will be offering 50 Registration Assistance Awards this fall. These Awards are for $175, one-half of the LSSC registration fee. Successful award recipients will pay the remainder of the fee. An application form to apply for the Registration Assistance Awards is available on the LSSIRT Website at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/lssirt/. The recipients of the Award will be chosen by a random drawing in late November.

The state-level organizations have up to 10 Awards to distribute. To apply for an award from the participating states, please contact the participating state organization. Only library support staff living in that state are eligible to apply at the state level.

Applications will begin to be accepted on October 1st and will continue until November 15th at both the national and state level. You may apply at both the national and state level, however only receive one Award.

The LSSC Program is partially funded by a grant to ALA from the federal Institute for Museum and Library Services, and managed by the ALA-Allied Professional Association.

Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) provides a path to recognition and awareness of the critical role that library support staff play in the delivery of quality library service. To achieve certification, support staff must achieve six of ten competency sets either through development of an online portfolio or taking approved courses. The competency sets are: Foundation of Library Service; Technology; Communication and Teamwork; Access Services; Adult Readers’ Advisory Services; Cataloging and Classification; Collection Management; Reference and Information Services; Supervision and Management; and Youth Services.

Nancy Bolt, Co-Project Director of LSSC commented, “The LSSC Program is really pleased that LSSIRT is continuing the Registration Assistance Awards. Library Support Staff will receive the recognition that they deserve by participating in LSSC. We appreciate IMLS’ support in recognizing the importance of qualified library support staff in providing excellent library service.”

To be eligible to participate in LSSC and thus receive an Assistance Award, applicants must have a high school degree or its equivalent and have worked for the equivalent of one year (1820 hours) as a library staff member or volunteer within the last five years.

Detailed additional information on support staff certification is available on the LSSC website: http://ala-apa.org/lssc/.

Ian Lashbrook – ilashbrook@ala.org
Research Associate
American Library Association-Allied Professional Association
50 E Huron St
Chicago IL 60611-2795
http://ala-apa.org
312.280.2424
800.545.2433 ext 2424
fax 312-280-3256