SLAte
The Newsletter of the Saskatchewan Library Association
June 2014

In This Issue:
  • A Letter From the President
  • 2014 Saskatchewan Library Association Award Recipients 
  • Feature Story: Interactive time of library cooperation in Saskatchewan 
  • For Your Information
  • Contact Us 

A Letter From the President

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

I am writing the introduction to this issue of SLAte with bittersweet feelings.  I have just finished my presidency of the Saskatchewan Library Association.  I am happy to pass along a healthy and vibrant association to Gwen Schmidt into whose capable leadership the association has passed.  I also feel a certain degree of sadness knowing that I will be spending less time with such fantastic colleagues and friends. 

 

The last three years has been a wonderful experience and I have enjoyed meeting many of you as President at the Conference, Presidential Receptions and Library Tours over the last three years.  I will still be involved in the SLA in other capacities and look forward to continuing to be part of its mission to be the voice of Saskatchewan's library communities in future.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robert Thomas

 


 

2014 Saskatchewan Library Association Award Recipients 

 

2014 Frances Morrison Award of Merit 

Recipient: Joylene Campbell

The SLA Frances Morrison Award of Merit for outstanding service to libraries is given in the name of one of Saskatchewan's exceptional librarians. This award is open to all, individuals or institutions or groups, and not restricted to professional librarians or SLA members. It is an award for outstanding service to libraries.

 

The recipient for 2014 is Joylene Campbell. Joylene devoted over 30 years of service to Saskatchewan libraries during which time she showed a deep appreciation of the fundamental principles of librarianship: access to information, freedom of information, lifelong learning, and literacy, performing important leadership roles in many capacities including Saskatchewan Provincial Librarian (1999-2011). She played a key role in the development of public and province-wide library services and had a direct hand in the majority of province-wide milestones over the last 15 years. The list includes but is not limited to shepherding the development of the Multitype Library Board, establishing the funding mechanism for the Multitype Database Licensing Program, spearheading the effort to exempt library electronic resources form the Provincial Sales Tax (a first for Canada), and establishing the Single Integrated Library System (SILS) for Saskatchewan Public Libraries. Joylene Campbell had a strong vision for the development of 21st century library services and worked passionately to ensure that all Saskatchewan residents would have access to information through a vibrant province-wide library system.

 

2014 Honourary Life Membership Award 

Recipient: Linda Winkler

The Honourary Life Membership Award is conferred upon anyone who has made a substantial and recognizable long-standing contribution to SLA and/or library service in Saskatchewan. As a member of SLA for life, the recipient has full voting privileges, does not pay annual dues, receives all Association publications, and may serve on committees. As well, this membership entitles the recipient to discounts at all SLA functions and workshops.

 

Linda Winkler, the 2014 recipient, recently retired after 38 years of service at the University of Regina Library. Her career includes numerous contributions at the local, provincial, and national levels. Locally, she has served generations of students and faculty as both a cataloguer and in roles such as reference services, liaison librarian services, and special collections duties. Provincially she served many years on the Board of the SLA and has held office on the Board of the Saskatchewan Book Awards. One of her notable contributions has been as an advocate on labour issues and collective bargaining rights for academic librarians, both locally through the University of Regina Faculty Association and nationally through her work with the Canadian Association of University Teachers. Academic librarians in Saskatchewan and across the country have better working conditions because of Ms. Winkler's tireless work.

 

 

2014 Maureen Woods Education Bursary

Recipient: Lisa Worobec

In 2002 SLA, along with the Provincial Library, Saskatchewan Learning, and the Multitype Library Board, established the Saskatchewan Libraries Education Bursary to promote the continued growth of professional librarianship in the province of Saskatchewan. It was renamed the Maureen Woods Education Bursary in 2013. The Bursary is a grant given annually towards completion of a graduate degree program in Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS). It is open to all students currently enrolled in, or accepted to, an ALA accredited graduate degree program in a Master of Library and Information Science or equivalent.

The recipient for 2014 is Lisa Worobec. She is from Saskatoon and has experience in both a library and research environment. She is passionate about the library as a support for lifelong learning, literacy, community building and providing access to culture and information. Her goal is to become a librarian in a public library focused on children, youth or literacy and community outreach or in an academic library setting.

 

She has worked for Saskatoon Public Library, is involved with many volunteer endeavours and co-chaired public relations for the 2013 SLA conference. She completed her Master of Arts in English from McMaster University, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts, in English and Women's and Gender Studies from the University of Saskatchewan. She wishes to use the bursary funds towards completing her Masters of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta.

 

2014 Mary Donaldson Award of Merit

Recipient: Gail Lasiuk

The Mary Donaldson Award of Merit was established in 1977 to recognize library support workers and the essential services that they perform in Saskatchewan libraries. In 1985, the Mary Donaldson Trust Fund was established as a separate education fund with a charitable tax exemption number (0784595-50). It is administered by the Mary Donaldson Memorial Trust Fund Trustees on behalf of SLA. The Mary Donaldson Award of Merit is a bursary given annually since 1977 to a graduating Library Technician student enrolled at a library education institution in Saskatchewan.

The recipient of the 2014 Mary Donaldson Award of Merit is Gail Lasiuk, from Saskatoon, who is completing her second year in the Library and Information Technology Diploma Program at Kelsey Campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology. Gail has maintained grades in good standing, has worked part-time at the University of Saskatchewan, and has been involved in many professional activities as a volunteer. She says, "I believe that public services are one of the strongest means to improving social justice in Canadian society...public libraries promote literacy at every age level."

 

 

Feature Story

Interactive time of library co-operation in Saskatchewan

By: Michael Shires, SLA representative to the Multitype Library Board

 

In February 2013 the Saskatchewan Multitype Library Board (MLB) held its Winter meeting at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina. The meeting was an extended two day event because it included moderated strategic planning sessions.   One part consisted of board members brain storming for examples of library co-operation in the province.   By the end of the session there was a wall of post-it notes in chronological order of library co-op examples that spanned over 100 years.  The brain storming exercise was repeated at the MLB annual general meeting in April 2013 and more coo-op examples were gathered.

 

 

Partial view of library co-operation events in Saskatchewan

 

Afterwards staff at the Provincial Library and Literacy Office (PLLO) added the information into a spreadsheet. They also started investigating web sites that offered free time line capabilities. Dipity.com was chosen based upon ease of use with keying in data and navigating its interactive timeline. At a subsequent MLB meeting this author volunteered to create and populate an interactive time line on Dipity.com that illustrated events of library co-op events in Saskatchewan.

 

The time line was publicly shown for the first time in a session at the 2014 Saskatchewan Libraries Conference.   Almost 100 events have been added to the time line http://www.dipity.com/Sask_Libraries/Sask-Libraries-Cooperation. Each event can be opened to view details and you can quickly zoom in and out of years and decades. Other sources for historical content besides crowd sourcing have been:

 

  • PLLO http://www.lib.sk.ca/Announcements
  • SLA http://saskla.ca/about/history
  • Saskatchewan Libraries Trustees Association http://slta.ca/libraries/history
  • A Book in Every Hand by Don Kerr 

  

Screen shot of the Saskatchewan Libraries Cooperation interactive time line
 

Another feature of the time line is the ability to imbed it in any web site. There is a button near the top right of the time line that says Embed. The open source code is provided and there are options for how you want the time line presented on your web page.   The author also encourages people to send examples of library co-operation events and fact check errors in the time line. The time line is continually growing and continues to be a collaborative effort of library workers from all over Saskatchewan. Send comments and feedback to:

 

Michael Shires

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 306.585.5418

 

 

  

For Your Information

Watch for an upcoming special post conference issue!

 

 

Program News

  

 

The TD Summer Reading materials should have arrived at your library by now. Please call Anne at SLA (306-780-9409) if you have experienced any difficulties.

 

 There are also lots of graphics to help you with your summer promotion.  

Contact Us 

Saskatchewan Library Association

15-2010 7th Ave.

Regina, SK S4R 1C2

 

Phone: 306-780-9413 or 306-780-9409

Fax: 306-780-9447

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Web: www.saskla.ca

 

The Saskatchewan Library Association gratefully acknowledges the support of our funding agencies

 

 
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