The Office of Commonwealth Libraries
Harrisburg, PA 
 
 
Compendium EXTRA 
                                                                                               December 2010
In This Issue
State Library Hours
Summer Reading Resources
Funding Resources
Library News
Ask Here PA
Resources of Interest
Quick Links
Clare at Christmas 2010
Please Click the Photo Above for a
Holiday Greeting from
Deputy Secretary M. Clare Zales

Change in State Library Hours

The State Library of Pennsylvania will change its hours starting the week of
January 3, 2011.  The library will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30 am to 5 pm.   Staff of the State Library will continue working Monday through Friday.  

Call the Reference phone number at 717-783-5950 to leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible.   Staff may also be contacted by email
.  This form is checked daily and staff will contact you as soon as possible.

summer reading 2011 kids reading

 

Resources for
 Summer Reading 2011
One World, Many Stories;
You Are Here; Novel Destinations

In preparation for the 2011 Summer Reading Program, your library may be interested in sets of posters available from the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV) in Madison, WI.  These posters will support the 2011 summer theme of World Culture/World Travel, for all age groups, babies through adults.

The theme for the first set is basic needs:  food, water, clothing, shelter and work.  The second set of posters displays social needs: learning, playing, needing friends, shopping and traveling.  To order posters and view downloadable teaching resources, which include a story about each photo, with country map and basic data, visit this site.   Proceeds benefit international development projects. 
The year 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps.  Visit their website at for a wide variety of information.

For more information on Summer Reading, join, login and explore the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) website.  Pennsylvania is a member of the Collaborative and all public library staff are eligible to join.
 
Funding Resources

NEA Youth Leaders for Literacy Grants

The National Education Association (NEA) is partnering with Youth Service America to offer Youth Leaders for Literacy grants to support service-learning projects focused on increasing young people's interest in reading and improving literacy in schools and communities. Youth Leaders for Literacy will award 30 young people from across the U.S. with $500 grants. Successful projects will be youth-led and address an established literacy need in the applicant's school or community. The projects will launch on NEA's Read Across America Day on March 2nd and culminate on Global Youth Service Day, April 15-17. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. Youth ages 5-25 are welcome to apply along with an adult ally. The application deadline is midnight January 5, 2011. Access the application.  

The Eisner Prize for Excellence in Intergenerational Work
The Eisner Foundation has announced the launch of the inaugural Eisner Prize and is currently soliciting nominations of individuals or non-profit organizations.  The Eisner Prize is a cash award of $100,000 and is designed to recognize excellence by an individual or a non-profit organization in uniting and utilizing multiple generations, especially seniors and youth, to bring about positive and lasting changes in their community. The foundation hopes to spur innovation in this field and to reward those who have committed already to excellence in uniting multiple generations for the betterment of our country.  Non-profit groups may self-nominate; individual candidates must be nominated by another person or group. Learn more about The Eisner Foundation or nominate yourself or someone else who may be eligible for The Eisner Prize. The Deadline is January 31, 2011.

Library News

 

Charging 
Will, Rick.  "With Funds Slashed, Libraries are Having to Charge to Stay Afloat," PittsburghTribune-Review.com December 9, 2010.

Jumo's Beta Launch
MacLaughlin, Steve. "What is Jumo?" NonProfit Trends www.nptrends.com
November 30, 2010.

Lancaster
Murse, Tom.  "City Defends its 50% Cut in Library Funding:  Questions why Better-off Municipalities Don't Give More,"  Sunday News LancasterOnline.com
December 11, 2011. 

Lycoming County

Alexander, Amanda.  "Never too Late: Library Programs Aim to Improve Literacy," SunGazette.com December 9, 2010.

Not a Good Way to Get Municipal Funds
"Iowa Librarian Accussed of Forgery,Theft," ChicagoTribune.com December 14, 2010.
 

Pittsburgh
Old Allegheny Branch and Connie Galbraith, Braddock Carnegie Library, South Side Branch, the Main Library in Oakland and Dr. Barbara Mistick are featured on television:
"It's Pittsburgh: I was Gonna Say That," WQED.com aired December 8, 2010.

Zlatos, Bill. "Mistick Stepping Down as Carnegie Library Director," Pittsburgh Tribune Review PittsburghLive.com December 13, 2010. 


Would You Accept this in Lieu of a Raise?
Bell, Linda.  "Oneida Welcomes New Live-In Librarian: Unique Tradtion Continues at Greig Memorial Library," The Register-Bell Galesburg.com December 3, 2010.

Ask Here PA Marks New Milestone


Ask Here PA, the online live chat reference service hosted by Commonwealth Libraries is pleased to announce that it has reached over 300,000 sessions.  Ask Here PA is free to all residents of Pennsylvania, offering research, information and answers to questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Public, academic and school libraries throughout PA contribute staff time to the service. 


Ask Here PA is different from some other online resources because it offers accurate and unbiased information that is instantaneously reviewed by a librarian and provided to the patron.   Ask Here PA offers an exciting way to extend learning beyond the classroom and supports the academic systems in PA as well as the general public.  About two-thirds of the questions come from K-12 students using Ask Here PA who are seeking assistance at all times of the day with help finding information resources for papers, projects and homework.  Diane Stratton, Librarian at the Rock L. Butler Middle School in Wellsboro, said, "Our students love Ask Here PA."  College students utilize Ask Here PA at all hours of the day and evening also.  Erica Danowitz, Reference/Instructional Librarian at Delaware County Community College (DCCC) noted, "In advertising the service the DCCC Librarians highlight how it is always available 24/7 which is very beneficial to students at our satellite campuses who do not have access to a library."  Patrons enjoy the 24/7 availability of Ask Here PA with one commenting, "It's great to have access to a Librarian 24/7. Tremendous help! Thanks!"


Erica Danowitz Librarian at Delaware Co Com College.

Erica Danowitz, Reference/Instructional Librarian at Delaware County Community College


N
ew Technology and Link Placement Enhances Usage

Erica Danowitz added, "Delaware County Community College was an early adopter of Ask Here PA and use of this service has grown every year. The Ask Here PA logo and chat widget have been placed in many different areas of the library's website.    
    

The chat widget can also be found on the college's student information portal and embedded in the library's subscription databases. In September 2010 the chat widget was added to the college's Distance Learning course management system. In the past year the number of DCCC students who have used the Ask Here PA service on a monthly basis has more than doubled. 

 

All libraries are encouraged to provide a link to Ask Here PA to enable the communities they serve to have access to this 24/7 resource.  Instructions for linking are available.
   READ MORE 
Resources of Interest

Picture Books
Springen, Karen.  "Don't Write the Obit for Picture Books Yet," PublishersWeekly.com
December 12, 2010. 
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