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The Rhode Island Library Association is a professional association
of Librarians, Library Staff, Trustees, and library supporters whose
purpose is to promote the profession of librarianship and to improve
the visibility, accessibility, responsiveness and effectiveness of
library and information services throughout Rhode Island.
Contact us at:
PO Box 6765
Providence, Rhode Island 02940
or rilibraryassoc.org
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Greetings!
The RILA conference is upon us! May 27 & 28, join us at Bryant for the 2010 RILA Conference: Libraries: Hot, Cool & Provocative. Sounds intriguing, no? We have more detail about the conference in the following article, but it should be noted that online registration is available, and it's going to be a jam-packed two days. This year, attendees also have to option to tweet the conference, use #rila10 for all your twittery needs. In other news, we can safely say it's actually spring--almost summer, which means almost time for the Summer Reading Program. This year's theme is all about water: Make a Splash for younger kids, Make Waves for teens, and Water your Mind for adults. Let's hope we don't wind up with any more wet books. Askri has new databases for us to explore and show our patrons; a few of our libraries are still recovering from the devastating flood of March; and one of our Rhode Island librarians just testified before a Senate committee. There's a lot going on, and the life of a librarian is never dull. Thanks for reading, Andria Tieman and Corrie MacDonald |
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2010 RILA Conference
By Paula Anderson
Children's Librarian
Warwick Public Library
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RILA Conference 2010:
Libraries: Hot, Cool and ProvocativeThursday, May 27 and Friday, May 28 Unistructure, Bryant University (Important Note: The conference will be held at the Bryant University Unistructure, NOT the Bryant Center as originally planned. See the bottom of this article for a map and more information.)The 2010 RILA Conference presents a balance of the practical knowledge needed today with the provocative ideas needed to build the libraries of the future. Inspire your work . This year the conference is hosting plenty of programs that you can use to have an immediate impact. Start with learning about low-cost publication design, new e-tools, and what's coming up in the world of audio books. Review how to best sustain information literacy in higher education and how to teach patrons about technology. Study the latest innovations in service delivery. Find out how to add zip to booktalks for all ages, how to create adult summer reading programs, and even how to conduct all your reading programs online. Then, don't settle for mere crafts - discover how to develop creatively rich art activities instead. Challenge your assumptions. Learn more about issues which you might not have even been aware of. Explore the hot button issues of sex and weight in Young Adult literature. Confront the realities of collection self-censorship. Discover the secrets of working with and serving the Millennial generation. Redefine the challenges of working with children on the autism spectrum. And re-frame your view of how to assist adults with literacy deficits. Refresh your spirit. We can't pretend this isn't a time of crisis. Relieve some of that stress by sharing some laughs about unique patron questions with Cranston's own Lisa Zawadzki . Let your heart be moved by the animal care stories of veterinarian and President's Speaker Dr. Lucy H. Spelman. Learn about applying the Alexander technique to nurture and protect our bodies as we work. Connect with the library community. Despite the intense challenges, plenty is happening in Rhode Island libraries. Get behind-the-scenes information on the Providence Community Library experience and East Providence's adaptation of the San Jose model. Learn about developments in the Rhode Island ILL delivery system and draw from the example of building a Cape Verdean collection when developing special collections for your constituency. Of course, there are also plenty of connections to be made in between sessions. Visit the vendor booths of our sponsors and check in with friends and colleagues you haven't seen in a while. You should have already received your RILA conference brochure. If you haven't, visit the online registration form. Now fill it out and send it in! UPDATE: The conference location was changed from the Bryant Center to the Unistructure. Volunteers will be on hand to help attendees find their way, but the Unistructure is an imposing building just past the Bryant Center--number 6 on the map below (click to enlarge).  |
2010 Summer Reading Program
By Adrienne Gallo
Branch Librarian--Oaklawn Branch
Cranston Public Library
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Ah, summer. Puts one in mind of lazy days by the ocean, a
relaxing trip to Block Island or paddling around the local pool. For
kids, teens and families, summer is also a time to have fun keep young
brains in shape with summer reading! Starting this June, Rhode Island
libraries are proud to present their 33rd year of summer reading programs. Fun
in and around water is the theme in 2010 with Make a Splash: Read for kids and Make Waves at Your
Library for teens.
Each year, Rhode Island
libraries work together and with the Institute of Library and Museum
Services (IMLS), the Rhode Island Office of Library Services (OLIS), as well as corporate
partners such as McDonald's, Citizens Bank, the Pawtucket Red Sox and
others to offer youngsters incentives for reading as well as fun
performers to keep them coming back to their local libraries.
Most libraries encourage
kids and teens to set a personal goal of hours, pages or books read
through the season. As they progress toward their goals, participants visit their libraries, and
receive prizes and passes to area attractions such as the Providence
Children's Museum, Roger Williams Park Zoo as well as many others. Most importantly, they receive positive reinforcement for their
reading from library staff, caregivers and peers, which helps them achieve
success in reading and maintain reading skills for when they return to
school in September.
In addition to working
towards a reading goal, children, tweens and teens can enjoy
professional performers at their neighborhood libraries. This year,
storytellers, magicians, musicians and more will be around the state
entertaining families in the mood for fabulous, fun and free programs!
Award-winning magician Debbie O'Carroll  has three summer reading
programs
this year,
one for children and two for teens. For audiences ages 4-10, Debbie is
fishing for books in a
delightful, participatory magic show. Kids will have great fun as they meet
some of the amazing and legendary creatures of children's literature. They'll play a game with the elusive
Lake
Champlain monster, meet Slue-Foot Sue, a cowgirl who rides a catfish, and
participate in the magic of a weather predicting groundhog. All this and
more is in store!
For teens, Debbie has created Make Waves with Magic Workshop. All will enjoy crafting
their own sea-themed magic tricks as they learn the secrets of magical
performance. Also for teens, Debbie will be offering a one-time only Origami program
on July 30 at Cranston Public Library where participants can learn to
fold beautiful sea and water creatures.
Take Two Tandem Tellers
(Anne-Marie Forer and Cindy
Killavey)
pool their talents to bring kids and families a program awash with fun. Audiences will sing and dance to the
accordion like ancient seafarers, hear tales from the briny deep and explore the secrets of watery worlds as Take Two makes a splash
at the library.
Storyteller Thawn Harris shares his Narragansett culture through
traditional song, dance and legends. Following in the traditions of his
ancestors, Thawn plays the cedar flute and hand-drum, is a social dancer
and singer, as well as a former world champion of the Eastern War
Dance.
Steve
Brosnihan is a Rhode Island cartoonist who has been teaching his
"Cartoonagrams" program for over 15 years. Using letters of the
alphabet, Steve teaches students to draw cartoon characters he has
created. Easy
to learn and remember, this program is great for all students, including those who
don't believe they have artistic ability. For teens, Steve amps up the
complexity of the drawings for age-appropriate challenges. No matter
what characters are taught, the method guarantees satisfying results-and
lots of fun - for everyone.
The Biomes Marine Biology
Center
is an educational facility that teaches children and adults about
the sea
life in Narragansett Bay. Audiences will love the hands-on, interactive
demonstration of some of the most interesting marine animals. Horseshoe
crabs, seahorses, starfish and puffer fish are just a few of the animals kids can see and
learn about
Ronald McDonald visits libraries this summer with "Dive into Discovery." Together, Ronald and the
audience will plunge into the depths of the library to find the treasures that it
holds.
 Josefina Callender is an actress, singer, and teacher who comes to Rhode Island Public
Libraries this summer to make a splash with language, books, and songs.
With her program Uno, Dos, Tres, Josefina will engage her audiences in reading, music, and
games in both Spanish and English. There will be on-your-feet
activities, interactive reading, audience singing and percussion, and an
atmosphere of summer fun as performer and audience dive together into a world of stories.
That's just a few of the performers lined up for this fun-filled summer. To see the full list, go to OLIS's Summer Reading Page. With so much fun at Rhode Island libraries, this summer is sure
to be wet and wild. Be sure to check out all the teen and children's
summer programs have to offer --and remember to spread the word!
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Text a Librarian at Cumberland Public Library
By Celeste Dyer
Assistant Director & Technology Coordinator
Cumberland Public Library
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 Teens and twenty-somethings use
their cell phones for just about everything. According to the CTIA - which counts that sort of thing - over five billion text messages are sent
worldwide, every day. Cumberland Library decided to jump in and
see if we could continue to be a resource for our younger patrons
and offer reference via text messaging.
The Text-a-Librarian service is
offered through Mosio. They have a variety of packages available,
but to start we used the Lite version. We are limited to 350 outgoing
text messages per month, but incoming is unlimited. Annual cost
for the service is $780.00. Our Friends of the Library group generously
offered to pay for the first year. Setup was incredibly simple
and we were off and running even before Mosio received their check!
Library staff use a dashboard on their computers to answer questions;
patrons simply text 66746 to ask a question. The first time a
patron uses the service they need to use the library's keyword, AskCpl,
and then type their question. They then receive a response stating
that their phone number has been assigned an id number. Library
staff never see the cell phone numbers, only the patron id assigned
by Text-a-Librarian. Staff can be alerted to a new question in
several ways; by email, instant message, text-message, flashing tab
on the browser or a combination of these. To answer a question
the staff simply click on the red "answer" button and type a response. Our answers are also subject to the 160 character limit so longer answers
will send an additional text. The staff member then clicks send
and the answer is on its way!
There are some nice features to
the service. Answers to frequently asked questions, such as library
hours, can be stored so that staff can simply choose that answer and
it is pasted into the send box. There is an auto reply for when
the library is closed so patrons won't expect an immediate answer. We have three user logins. If a staff member starts a question
and another staff member tries to answer too, the service will let them
know that the question has been started. Questions (and answers)
can be saved if staff think there will be more of the same. If
someone continues to ask inappropriate questions, they can be blocked.
Mosio offers free clip art and graphics
for publicity. We have advertised through the newspaper, on our
webpage, and in both our paper and e-newsletters. We have also
posted it on Facebook and tweeted it several times! The service
was started in January and we practiced for a month before going
live. So far we haven't been overwhelmed with questions,
but we hope it will catch on. Give us a try!
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RIAMCO
By Jennifer Betts
RIAMCO Project Manager
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 Diaries, letters, photographs, and
drawings - all are primary source documents that explain historical
events as they were experienced through the written word and images. Rhode Island's rich history can be experienced in special collections and archives throughout the state
but in order to get a complete picture of an event or group of people,
it is often necessary for researchers to search multiple libraries and
archives.
The
Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Consortium Online (RIAMCO) was
created to virtually integrate special collection guides from across
Rhode Island, enabling
researchers to search for particular people, places, or subjects
through a single web interface. RIAMCO currently consists of 10
repositories representing academic, government, public and private libraries, historical societies, and archives from across Rhode Island:
Brown University
Rhode Island State Archives
John Carter Brown Library
Roger Williams University
Providence College
Salve Regina University
Rhode Island Historical Society
University of Rhode Island
Rhode Island School of Design
Westerly Public Library
RIAMCO will launch a beta-version of its website (www.riamco.org) in May 2010. The website will provide access to finding aids for primary source documents in Rhode Island through a single web portal. Newly encoded finding aids as well as converted legacy finding aids will be continuously added to the database. Once the website is fully operational,
new repository members will be accepted. Participating members will
receive Encoded Archival Description (EAD) training and best practices
documentation.
RIAMCO received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create a union database of EAD finding aids for archival and manuscript collections in Rhode Island.
Contact: Jennifer Betts, RIAMCO Project Manager
jennifer_betts@brown.edu
(401) 863-2148
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Ten Fiction Titles to Look for this Summer
By Lexi Henshel
Coordinator of Readers' Services
North Kingstown Free Library
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These
books are getting so much pre-pub buzz, it's almost certain that
they'll be some of the most requested titles coming up! Make sure you
have a copy, and put your names down to read them first!
 The Passage
by Justin CroninThis
vampire-themed post-apocalyptic novel, the first of a trilogy, has
already been fast-tracked into production as a film by director Ridley
Scott, and expectations are high for this series to become a
blockbuster.
The  Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
by David Mitchell
This historical fiction set in 1799 on an artificial island off Japan is a mesmerizing take on an unusual setting. The Dutch
East Indies Company has representatives conducting business there, and
Jacob de Zoet is a merchant who makes a risky gamble in business and in
love.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
by Stieg LarssonThe third book in Larsson's highly praised Millennium Trilogy will bee country. It is a stunning and
satisfying conclusion to the richly layered series, and already has 340
holds in the OSL system. If you haven't read The Girl With The Dragon
Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire yet, give yourself a treat and
read these intellectual and powerful thrillers now!
The R ed Thread
by Ann Hood
Ann Hood's latest set-in-Providence novel is sure to be a hit. Focusing on five families adopting children from China, the novel combines adoption, knitting, and Rhode Island in a narrative that is sure to lure readers who enjoy deftly written domestic fiction.
Tinkers
by Paul Harding
If
your library doesn't own Tinkers, by Paul Harding, yet, now is the time
to jump on board! This slim novel, published in 2009 has received a
massive boost with winning the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The
deathbed musings of New England clock-repairer George Crosby make for bittersweet and unforgettable reading.
Girl in Translation
by Jean Kwok
Girl
in Translation is looking to be a sleeper hit this summer. Advance
publicity and a well crafted novel about immigration and family combine
to create a winning combination. A coming-to-America and a
coming-of-age story, this semi-autobiographical book offers readers a
fresh take on a familiar story.
Imperial Bedrooms
by Bret Easton Ellis
Ellis,
by far the most controversial of the '80's brat-pack of writers
(including Jay McInerney and Tana Janowitz), has penned a sequel to his
phenomenal first book, Less Than Zero. While Clay, Blair, Julian and
Rip have grown older, they haven't grown much wiser. It's not certain
yet if this title will reach the iconic status of Less Than Zero, but
hopefully Ellis will offer even more of his memorable and devastating
writing. "'People are afraid to merge on freeways in Los Angeles" remains one of the best opening lines ever, in my opinion.
 Super Sad True Love Story
by Gary Shteyngart
Set in a near-future dystopic New York City, Super Sad True Love Story examines a "post-literate, post-solvent" America. Absurdist and prophetic, this hard-to-classify novel is like Mike Judge's film Idiocracy crossed with Romeo and Juliet.
The Lonely Polygamist
by Brady Udall
Can
a man with four wives and twenty-eight children be lonely? He can, in
this darkly comic novel. With programs like HBO's Big Love and headline
news coverage of raids on Utah polygamous compounds combining to form
most people's views on polygamist life, this unusual book offers a new
perspective on life lived in a different way.
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New AskRI Databases
By Kieran Ayton
Reference Librarian
Bryant University/Cranston Public Library
|  You may have noticed a few changes to the Statewide
Reference Resource Center's AskRI.org page.
This month, three new databases have been added which will be freely
available to the public. They are: Mango Languages, LearningExpress Library, and ReferenceUSA US
Businesses. These databases were identified by AskRI's
advisory group of reference librarians representing public and school
libraries as the most in-demand/useful resources for
libraries across the state. ReferenceUSA and LearningExpress will be
available from all public and academic libraries. Mango Languages will
be available from public, academic and school libraries. All three
databases can be accessed from home using a valid library card. According to
Karen Mellor, Library Program Manager at the state of Rhode Island's
Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS): "These
new databases provide some much needed resources for Rhode Island's
job-seekers and business community, and were selected in response to the
AskRI advisory committee's recommendations and to help Rhode Islanders
get back to work."  Mango
languages uses real-life conversations and situations to teach students a
new language. Lessons are presented on slides (using
Adobe Flash) with audio content - so users can listen and repeat words
and phrases. It is designed for adults and students of all ages.
There are 22 languages covered, from Spanish, French and Italian, to
Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese. There are also English as a
second language courses including English for Spanish speakers and
English for Cantonese Chinese and Mandarin Chinese speakers. Visit Mango Language's website for a complete list. Karen Mellor says that
Mango Languages will also be adding additional languages and features,
including an iphone application. She also noted that Rhode Island is the
first state to acquire Mango Languages on a statewide basis.  LearningExpress
is used by libraries across the country as a way to provide patrons
with free access to test preparation resources in all areas. There are
sample study guides for SAT, GRE, GED, Praxis
(Teacher Certification Exams), ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery Test), grad school exams like LCAT and MCAT, the U.S.
Citizenship Test, and many more. Though all of these tests are all available on the site, many are not listed on the sidebar and need to be searched. We'll need to educate our patrons as to all the tests available to them. There are also mini-courses on writing
résumés and cover letters, which will be particularly useful to the unemployed. According to Karen Mellor, adding LearningExpress was a direct result of Rhode Island's high unemployment rate "we
have added LearningExpress to address the needs of the unemployed, the
underemployed and those seeking to hone their job skills or transition
to a new career. In a unique partnership with the RI
Department of Labor & Training, we are also offering seamless
access to both LearningExpress and ReferenceUSA at DLT's NetworkRI One
Stop Career Centers. LearningExpress really complements a database
resource provided by DLT, EmployRI, which
allows people to create résumés, search for jobs, and get career tips."  Reference USA U.S. Businesses will give users access to
information on over 14 million U.S. Businesses, including management
contacts, sales volume, employee size, whether the company is public or
private, business expenditures, and even local area competitors.
ReferenceUSA is useful for researching the financial information of
local/small businesses that have only one location with a few
employees. It also works well if you want data for a branch of a
national franchise. For example, you can get individual reports on each
Starbucks that operates in Providence, RI. Small businesses in particular value ReferenceUSA and it can be useful to jobseekers researching potential employers. These new Askri.org databases will allow all Rhode Island
libraries, no matter what the size of their budget, to provide their
patrons with essential online resources for education and job success.
Comments, questions, and feedback on the new Askri.org databases can be
sent to Karen Mellor, Library Program Manager at OLIS (karenm@olis.ri.gov). |
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RI Libraries Affected by Flood
By Corrie MacDonald
Reference Librarian
Warwick Public Library
| Several Rhode Island libraries were affected by the heavy rain and flooding that swept through the state in March. As librarians scrambled to provide the public with information about available disaster resources, some were also frantically trying to salvage their buildings and collections. The damage was exacerbated by the fact that many library basements are used to house parts of their collections.
The West Warwick Public Library was closed for nearly two weeks after over a foot of water entered the building. The furnace and the water heater were soaked, the elevator shaft filled with water, and carpets in different areas of the building were destroyed. Although the library reopened on April 12, the public program rooms and basement are unavailable until carpets and walls can be replaced. The library was forced to cancel book discussions and computer classes for the month of April because there was no meeting space available.
"Most disturbing
Cleaning up at the West Warwick Public Library | for me was the destruction of the carpet in the Old Reference room," said library director Fran Farrell-Bergeron. "We had just installed it last fall with a generous grant from the Champlin Foundations. I almost wept, but that would only have added more moisture to an already over-saturated atmosphere."
Tiverton's Essex Library lost over 4,000 books when their basement filled with rainwater. The library's basement housed the children's and teen collections, Currently, there are no children's services available at the Essex Library until the damage is repaired. In the meantime, Tiverton's Union Library is open additional hours to serve the community.
It's not all bad news: many members of the community rallied to help out, and a successful benefit was held at Applebee's restaurant in Tiverton on April 22. "So far," said Friends President Kathy Ryan, "it's been a focal point for bringing the community together." The library is currently accepting donations of children's and teen books to replace the collection that was lost.
The Norwood Branch of Warwick Public Library was flooded | In Warwick, staff at the Norwood Branch Library noticed water entering the basement when the library opened on Tuesday. Custodians pumped water out of the building for three days, and although some furniture and shelving was destroyed, less than 50 books were lost. Library Director Diane Greenwald says the library will reopen on June 1.
Kristen Chin, director of the Libraries of Foster, said that the basement and program room of the Tyler Free Library flooded with about four inches of water. A cleaning company was called in to dry and sanitize the area. "We have to replace the flooring and the wainscoting in the program room," said Chin. "We were lucky because everything was off the floor in the basement and we didn't lose any of the collection. Not terribly dramatic or exciting, but that's okay in these circumstances!"
Every library mentioned in this article required professional assistance with their cleanup efforts. The discovery of asbestos in the floors of both Warwick's Norwood branch and West Warwick Public Library further complicated their recoveries. People flock to the library in times of trouble, but who helps the library when disaster strikes?
The Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) offered information, telephone consultations, and follow-up to impacted libraries. OLIS was well prepared to serve this purpose, as the organization recently won a Protecting the Past--RI grant from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) to help libraries and historical archives in times of disaster.
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In Every Issue
News from the Field
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Jamie Greene, Librarian at Hugh Cole School, and President of Rhode Island Educational Media Association (RIEMA) testified before the US Senate committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) on the the importance of funding libraries, "We find ourselves in this predicament (loss of school librarian positions) not because of outright opposition, but more as a result of preoccupation with other, perceived to be more pressing, issues. But the fact remains that all students need equal access to the books, technology and instruction available through well funded, fully staffed school libraries.''
She was selected by Senator Reed to speak at a hearing entitled ESEA Reauthorized: Meeting the needs of the whole student. Her entire testimony is available on the Senate HELP website.
Cranston
Cranston Public Library's (CPL) program serving homebound library users has been recognized as a Model Program in the American Library Association's new toolkit "Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ Your Library: Libraries Can Empower Older Adults with Engaging Programs and Services". This ALA toolkit "responds to the concerns of librarians across the country who are providing services for the growing numbers of older adults in their communities."
In the CPL program, homebound Cranston residents are eligible to receive books and other library materials delivered to their homes every three weeks at no charge. The program, implemented by Auburn Branch Librarian, Karen McGrath, is available to patrons who are permanently or temporarily homebound. For more information about the program View or download the toolkit or contact Karen McGrath at auburn@cranstonlibrary.org
Nancy Campbell Gianlorenzo is an ALA National Library Worker's Day Star! Nancy who works at the Knightsville branch, is a star because she connects with her community in a genuine, tangible way that makes a difference throughout the city of Cranston. As the manager of a small library branch, she visits schools in her district on a regular basis, helping forge the all-important partnership between the public and school libraries. In addition to regular school visits, Nancy brings programming to area Title I schools, holding family storytimes and summer reading programs --essentially bringing the public library to users without transportation or who might otherwise be unable to visit their local branch. In a time when people are in need of not just information, but a personal connection, Nancy's dedication to outreach is an inspiration not only to her co-workers, but everyone she meets.
Providence
Providence Mayor David Cicilline speaks at the PCL fundraiser |
A fundraiser to benefit Providence Community Libraries (PCL) was held at the Knight Memorial Library on March 26th. This event raised almost $30,000 -- not a bad first fundraiser for a young organization! One hundred twenty-five guests celebrated PCL's existence and the survival and vitality of the neighborhood libraries, marveled at the beauty of Knight Memorial Library, and enjoyed each other's company.
Newport
Cheryl Helms, the director of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, is retiring after twelve years on the job. "I can't think of any place that I love more than the Redwood," Helms told the Providence Journal. "Every time I walk through the doors on Redwood Street and enter the Rovensky Room, I still feel that same sense of awe and wonder that I felt the very first time I went into the Redwood in 1995."
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Better Know a Library--Barrington Public Library
By Debbie Barchi
Director, Barrington Public Library
|  It's hard to say exactly when Barrington Library first "started". Would you date it from 1806 when the Reverend Samuel Watson, Pastor of the Barrington Congregational Church first formed the Library Society, composed of 30 charter members who each paid $1 a year for library membership and who agreed that fiction should be excluded from the book collection since fiction "worketh abomination and maketh a lie"? Or 1880 when the town of Barrington officially accepted responsibility for its free public library? Or 1888 when with the completion of the new town hall, the town library finally had a place of its own, complete with fireplace and spiral staircase?
The current Barrington Public Library has been housed in the Peck Community Center since 1984. The Peck Center was first built as the Leander Peck School in 1917 and served as both a middle school and a high school in its years of operation, until it closed in 1979. In 1982 the forward-thinking citizens of Barrington approved funds to renovate the old Peck School to become the town library and a community center that would include a senior center, preservation museum, meeting rooms, and site for the recreation department. Since the library accounts for 80 percent of the building, it's no surprise that most people refer to the building as the Barrington Library, rather than the Peck Community Center.
For decades Barrington Library has been a leader in the state for library use by the community, with the highest per capita use and support of any town in Rhode Island, other than Block Island. More that 75 percent of the town's residents actively use their library cards, a number that has held steady for many years. The town is primarily made up of working professionals who each year continue to offer strong support to the funding of their public schools whose students top the state statistics for test scores year after year.
With the heightened use and need for libraries over the past difficult economic year, Barrington Library hit its highest ever circulation of materials in 2009 at 420,482. That high number is not just the result of the economy, however, Barrington Library has long been committed to extensive public programming for children, teens, and adults, with program attendance always translating into more use of the collection. In addition, the beautiful renovation of the first floor of the library in 2005 encouraged people to rediscover the library if they had not used it for a while.
Moving forward, there is a need to renovate the second floor of the library, including the children's room and to find some way to incorporate more meeting spaces which are always at a premium. There is also always the need to stay up to date with the latest technologies. The town has held strong in its use and financial support of the library, so we are hopeful these future plans will become a reality in the not too distant future.
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Proposed Changes in Institutional Membership | | There are several proposed changes to institutional RILA memberships on the voting agenda at the RILA conference. Membership rates for individuals will not be affected. The proposed changes would go into affect in 2011.
If approved, there will be three levels of institutional RILA membership:
Bronze Institutional membership : $75
Benefits: Send up to two non-members to conference under
membership rate, recognition on website.
Silver Institutional membership: $100
Benefits: Send up to 3 non-members to conference under membership rate, recognition on website.
Gold Institutional membership: $150
Benefits: Send up to 5 non-members to conference under membership
rate, recognition on website.
RILA will no longer offer the "Affiliate" membership category.
Email Robert Kelly, Membership Chair with questions at
underbooks@gmail.com
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About Us The
RILA Bulletin is produced by the RILA Communications Committee. The
RILA Communications Committee is responsible for publicizing and
supporting Rhode Island Library Association activities using a variety
of communication tools. Responsibilities including publishing the RILA
Bulletin, managing social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter,
and exploring other mediums as needed. The Communications Committee may
cooperate with the publicity efforts of the Public Relations Committee
to promote library services statewide.
Rhode Island Library
Association members can contribute content to the RILA Bulletin by
emailing the editors: rilabulletin@gmail.com
Corrie MacDonald & Andria Tieman
Rhode Island Library Association
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