Idaho Librarian

Volume 50 Number 4

August 1998

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Recently Gordon L. Ray, President of PNLA, wrote a delightful column in the PNLA Quarterly. He quoted from a humorous, though true, article by Simon Ford called "The Art of Conferencing." By the time you read this issue this year's conference may be over. If so, you'll still find that the article holds good advice for future conference attendees. I want to thank all of you who worked so hard on the conference and also those of you who supported the conference through your attendance. Conferences generally come off so well that one doesn't even give second thought to all the work that someone put into them. The work of producing a conference can be a great learning experience, but however you look at it, it is an unbelievable job. We all owe a resounding hand of applause to the conference committee for all their hard work. They are real angels.

Speaking of angels, I recently saw the new movie "City of Angels." If you're not familiar with this film it is about an angel who performs his angelic feats in Los Angeles. The city has hosts of angels everywhere, but most of them gather, and sort of reside in, believe it or not, the library. When you see this film, which is almost surreal, it is very hard to get the visual images out of your mind. And the fun scenes and conversations in the library are right up our alley. Once you start to figure out what's going on, you realize there are many double meanings you might have missed. Though not as great as "As Good as it Gets," there are some wonderful lines. The imagery of the Los Angeles Public Library is especially helped by the clever use of the more visually striking San Francisco Library as the Library. Of course as a librarian, this makes the whole thing even more surreal. Ever since I saw the film I keep wondering if many of the people I work with are really angels in disguise. Surely many of them, and many of you, perform amazingly helpful acts every day. In my work with many members of ILA over the last two years, I have learned to think of some especially helpful members of our profession as real angels to our Association and me. I could start to list names, but that might be hazardous lest I accidentally omit someone vital. Rather I would suggest that you look at back issues of the Idaho Librarian for 1997 and 1998 and review the list of board members. Every person on this board has given 100% to the Association. We are honored to work with a very dedicated group of professionals; each one of them has a real halo. The Idaho library picture has improved remarkably over the past few years. With the help of this group, the Idaho State Library, and your dedication, we will continue to see our libraries improve. We have much to be thankful for and to work towards, and with your work the result will be, unlike the film fantasy, very real.

I know it's a rare thing these days for many people to say thank you, but I hope you will all express your thanks to these people for all of their hard work. If you are one of those who has been working so hard for libraries, we thank you!

Susannah Price

ALA COUNCILOR'S REPORT

Washington DC in the heat of the summer was the setting for some interesting debates on the floor of Council at this year's annual conference. Here are some of the highlights.

Membership Meetings. Again, a quorum was not reached at either membership meeting at the conference. Apparently since the quorum was increased to 1% of the total membership (about 550 people) some five years ago or so, a quorum has rarely been reached. Council continues to search for ways to deal with this issue. What was tried this year was to move one of the meetings to the hour just before Council I normally begins.

Several further possibilities were discussed:

· lowering the quorum to ½ of 1%

· changing the quorum from a percentage of the entire membership to a percentage of the members attending the conference

· scheduling the meetings at no-conflict times

· scheduling one meeting during the hour prior to the opening session, which is usually quite well-attended

A resolution was brought before council to ask the Constitution & Bylaws committee to present to council at Midwinter 1999 an amendment reducing the quorum from 1% to ½ of 1% of total membership. Objections to this amendment centered on the concern that such a small number of people could hardly be representative of the entire membership, and that this small number would have the ability to set aside council actions by a two-thirds majority vote. Proponents of the resolution argued that the association as a whole is unbalanced when membership cannot act. It was also pointed out that many of the members present at a membership meeting are indeed councilors, and it was unlikely that a two-thirds majority would be reached to overturn a council action.

I voted in favor of this resolution because I felt that the membership meetings are an important part of the governance structure of ALA, and if a quorum cannot be reached, it renders those who do bother to attend them essentially impotent. Further, I felt that worry about membership overturning council action was unfounded. Besides, if council took an action so unwise as to cause the membership to rally to overturn it, then perhaps that would be for the best. However, persuasive arguments could not save this resolution, and it was defeated.

Library education. There was plenty of discussion about the continuing trend in library schools to drop the words, "library," "books," and "service" from not only the school name, but also the program and course descriptions. Schools of "Information Science" seem to be focusing on technology rather than service. Library recruiters spoke about graduates who were unprepared to function at a public service desk without extensive in-house training. Councilors asked why the American LIBRARY Association was accrediting programs that didn't seem to be producing LIBRARIANS. School faculty bemoaned the fact that low salaries in libraries have resulted in students more interested in being prepared for work in technology-related fields that yield higher pay.

A resolution was introduced which asked that the accreditation standards be revised, that they include the statement, "ALA accredits masters degree programs designed to prepare student for careers in librarianship," and that the revision draft be ready by annual conference 1999. The proposed resolution noted that children's services, young adult services, reference skills, school librarianship, and cataloging are being shortchanged or ignored in many graduate programs. This resolution was widely discussed, but was in effect tabled when council was informed that the Executive Board was planning to hold an Education Summit in 1999.

Boy Scouts. Much discussion has ensued regarding ALA's relationship with the Boy Scouts of America as an organization (not individual Boy Scouts). ALA policy 9.5 specifically prohibits ALA or its units from having formal relationships with organizations that violate ALA's principles and policies regarding discrimination and human rights. Since the Boy Scout organization has taken a very public stand in discriminating against gays and atheists, a resolution was introduced to suspend any formal or official relationship between ALA and the Boy Scouts of America. However, since the Executive Board had just provided council with a document designed to clarify ALA relationships to other organizations, council voted to postpone the resolution until midwinter 1999 so that councilors would have time to study the new document. Much will depend on whether the relationship between the two organizations is found to be "formal."

Socially Responsible Investing. A resolution was brought forward to exclude ALA investment in companies which produce or market weapons, nuclear power, tobacco, or other products and services which are predominantly destructive, dangerous or have deleterious social impacts. Some councilors felt that this would be fairly easy to accomplish, as there are several "socially responsible" funds that give good returns. Arguments against this resolution included the fear that socially responsible investments might not give as good a return and the observation that no consensus could ever be reached on what investments would be considered destructive, dangerous, and deleterious.

After much discussion, council voted to refer the resolution to the ALA executive board, who will report to council at the 1999 midwinter meeting.

Budget. Council approved a FY 1999 budgetary ceiling for the association of $38,325,000.

Rules for Council Meetings. Nearly 45 minutes was spent debating a proposed resolution, which would have instructed the presiding officer to alternate between proponents and opponents of a motion. The intention was to speed debate and limit the time spent when councilors simply restated a previous argument. However, it was defeated in the end, primarily because the majority felt it would be unwieldy in practice.

Internal Review Policy. In 1994 council asked the Committee on Organization to prepare a policy recommendation regarding when and how to "retire" committees, round tables, and divisions. At this conference the committee submitted their "ALA Internal Review Policy." After much discussion, council voted to simply file the report rather than implementing it. This was in part due to the clumsy way the motion was brought forward for action.

Wording Changes. Council approved several wording changes to policy documents, including replacing the term handicap with disability, adding the terms disability and sexual orientation to the list of prohibited types of discrimination, and including the terms "Pacific Americans" and "Latinos" to a statement on diversity.

Time Use. Council continues to have difficulty in completing work within specified time frames. When Council III was finally adjourned, several agenda items were left unaddressed. They will be added to the Midwinter Council I agenda. It appears that if council wishes to deal with this issue, it must either agree to limit debate or agree to allow more time to discuss all agenda items.

Many of the "hot" issues were not really resolved by council at this conference. Most of them were simply put off by referring them to a committee or to the executive board. Issues that will surely return to the floor for discussion include our affiliation with the Boy Scout organization, ALA's investment policies, quorums for membership meetings, and education for librarians.

As always, if you have opinions about any of these issues, or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Contact information should be available within this publication, or through the ILA webpage.

Camille Wood

ILA/PNLA CONFERENCE

LIBRARIES UNLIMITED: RESOURCES FOR ALL

1998 _ Sun Valley, Idaho

Preliminary Schedule of Events

Wednesday, August 12

8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. PRECONFERENCE:

Libraries, the Internet and the First Amendment: Strategies for the Future. Karen Schneider, Ann Symons, Candace Morgan, June Pinnell-Stephens

4:00-6:30 p.m.

Conference registration opens

4:30-6:30 p.m.

ILA Board Meeting and PNLA Board Meeting

7:00-8:00 p.m. KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Resources for All _ Intellectual Freedom Today. Ann Symons, ALA President

8:30-10:00 p.m. RECEPTION

Ketchum Community Library

Thursday, August 13

Exhibits will be open all day on Thursday and until lunch on Friday

7:00-8:30 a.m.

ALA/CLA/ILA/PNLA Breakfast

8:30-10:00 a.m.

Beginner Grassroots Advocacy—the "How To" of Mobilization. Library Advocacy Trainer Susan Silk presents an interactive session, which provides insights for strategic planning, and skill building opportunities (Part I).

Career Alternatives—How to Expand Your Library Skills. Cindy Cunningham from Amazon.com will explore how to bring those library skills to other environments.

Stirring, Stimulating Stories. Storyteller Joy Steiner will involve participants in preparing stories for performance.

From B.C. to P.C: the Book Comes of Age? Grant Skelley gives a capsule look at how the book got to where it is today.

The Internet Navigator—Collaborative Development of an Electronic Course. Nancy Lombardo will provide an overview of issues related to collaborative course development and electronic content delivery.

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Beginner Grassroots Advocacy—the "How To" of Mobilization. Library Advocacy Trainer Susan Silk presents an interactive session which provides insights for strategic planning and skill building opportunities (Part II).

Promoting a Global Community: Books that Bring People Together. Stan Steiner offers strategies for collecting and using multicultural books.

Teaching the Internet in 50 Minutes. Carol Hansen provides tips for anyone who teaches Internet/Web skills.

Young Reader's Choice Awards—FYI. Betty Holbrook and Terry Hyer discuss promotion ideas.

The Changing Relationship of Bibliographic Utilities, Local Systems and Book Distributors. Sharon West focuses on major impacts and changes for libraries.

NEH Support for Libraries with Much Ado about Public Programs. David Martz will discuss types of library funding available from NEH.

12:15-1:45 p.m.

ALA in Action: Strategies for Success

Lunch with William Gordon, Executive Director of ALA.

2:00-3:30 p.m.

Advanced Grassroots Advocacy—the "How To" of Mobilization. Susan Silk discusses the "do's and don'ts" of public speaking in the effort to coalesce allies for libraries.

More Rip-Roaring Reads for Reluctant Teen Readers. Bette Ammon and Gale Sherman share books that will hook reluctant teens on reading forever!

Will the Center Hold? Core Library Values in a Changing Information Environment. Authors Mark Alfino and Linda Pierce discuss pressures librarians face in defending traditional library services.

ONLY CONNECT: Using the Internet for Literature. Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson uses the Internet to develop activities with her picture books Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt.

OCLC Users Group. Discuss new OCLC services with Sam Sayre.

ISL Library Development

4:00-5:00 p.m.

PNLA Interest Groups

· Library Instruction

· Reference

· Youth Services

ILA Division Meetings

· Academic

· Special

· Idaho Council of Academic Library Directors Meeting

6:00-10:00 p.m.

Trail Creek BBQ with music and storytelling

[No Host Drinks 6:00; Band 6:00-8:00; Story Swap 8:00-9:30]

Friday, August 14

7:00-8:30 a.m.

Exhibitors' Breakfast

8:30-10:00 a.m.

Library Services for Young Children and Their Families. Peggy McClendon and Stephanie Bailey-White. Learn more about emergent literacy and its implications for library services.

Census 2000: Products and Plans. Cam McIntosh. Hear how data dissemination of Census 2000 will differ substantially from that of previous censuses.

Educating the Library Assistant. Marlene Earnest provides tips to assist in training and support of new library assistants.

Dancing in the Dust: the Joy of Non-Fiction. Author Linda Granfield shows how to blow the dust off history and quickstep into the world of research and information books.

Basic Book Mending Procedures for Small Libraries. Elizabeth Allen demonstrates minor repairs for your library materials.

Rules and Tools. Meeting management, organization, and open meeting laws for library trustees.

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Bathtubs, Biographies, and Burials: A Guide to Doing Ordinary and Extraordinary Historical Research. School Library Journal starred author Penny Colman takes us on a journey of research with anecdotes, insights, and strategies.

The Japanese Internment Camp at Kooskia, Idaho (1943-1945). Priscilla Wegers shares little-known WWII detention camp information about Japanese "aliens."

Basic Book Mending Procedures for Small Libraries. Elizabeth Allen demonstrates complicated repairs to your library materials.

How We See the World through Paint and Words. Children's author C.J. Taylor shares the wisdom and spirituality of the mystical stories of her ancestors.

Trustees: Get Ready! Collaboration among libraries, governance, and an eye on regional/statewide consortia will be discussed.

Library Services for Distance Learning—What Librarians Need to Know!Alexander Slade presents key issues in serving off-campus students and distance learners.

12:15-1:45 p.m.

Luncheon: Hemingway in Idaho with Sandra Hofferber.

ILA Awards

2:00-3:30 p.m.

ILA and PNLA General Membership Meetings

4:00-5:00 p.m.

PNLA Interest Groups

· Academic

· Cooperative Resource Development

· Management

· Serving the Christian Community

ILA Divisions

· School Media

· Trustees

· Public

6:00-7:30 p.m.

Intellectual Freedom Auction with President's Social Hour

7:30-9:30 p.m.

PNLA Young Reader's Choice Awards Banquet

Saturday, August 15

8:30-11:30 a.m.

ILA Board Meeting

PNLA Board Meeting

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIBRARY SCIENCE CLASSES AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET

The School of Library and Information Management (SLIM), Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas is offering the following classes via the Internet for the fall 1998 semester:

LI 812 Retrieval and Repackaging taught by Conk Buckley

This course builds upon existing computing skills in the areas of a) online and CD-ROM search activities, b) Internet communication, c) word processing, d) spreadsheets, e) database design, f) HTML presentations, and g) imaging. The primary instructional delivery tool is the LI 812 WWW page and the LI 812 e-mail listserv.

This course takes a holistic approach to learning information technologies by weaving software navigation, word processing, spreadsheet, and database management applications with information retrieval concepts and ending with WWW-based presentations. This is a hands-on computer course. 60% of the course teaches students how to use common software tools used by information professionals and 40% teaches database search strategy for online and CD-ROM databases.

Students must complete the PC Skills prerequisite. The PC Skills modules explore file management, software navigation, telecommunications, Internet file transfer and word processing.

The objective of this course is to prepare students to utilize professional information technologies and tools and to integrate them into their daily lives.

After completing this course, students will be able to accomplish the following:

* demonstrate advanced competencies in using word processing, E-mail, FTP, and WWW software, and in searching Online Public Access Computers (OPAC) and CD-ROM databases;

* demonstrate intermediate competencies in using Internet services (e.g. Telnet), and in searching Dialog, FirstSearch, and the WWW;

* demonstrate beginning competencies in using spreadsheet, database management, and web page design software; and use professional terminology related to technology

Anyone interested in taking the class as a non-degree seeking student may call the Emporia State University Center for Life Long Learning to enroll, 316-341-5316. Tuition is $210. They syllabus is online at http://academic.emporia.edu/buckleyc/812/syllabus.htm.

LI 853 XA Technology Institutions, Policies, & Operations taught by Dr. Roger Wyatt.

The course examines the landscape of technology, its relationship to organizations, and the implications of their interaction for management. There are two major questions that the course explores. First, what is the impact of technology upon management and second, what are the implications? An understanding of the implications and outcomes of these questions when combined with the responses to these issues that the course offers, will provide our on-line learning community with a method of approach to managerial action and problem solving within a digital global information economy. To put it another way, the question becomes, how will I manage an organization within a technological age of digital networked technology?

The instructor hopes that by taking this course, students will gain an enhanced understanding of the rapidly emerging digital networked technology intensive world that is increasingly reshaping their working lives. There is more opportunity than danger in this emerging world. By course end perhaps we will all have a greater understanding of what these opportunities are. After all the understanding of context is a tool of empowerment.

LI 861 XA: Information Needs of Senior Citizens taught by Dr. Aubrey Forrest.

Senior citizens represent the fastest growing segment of our population. Furthermore, they exercise influence in far greater proportion to their numbers. They are more likely to vote and have a greater percentage of the wealth of a community than younger people are. But, what do we know about the information needs and the information-seeking styles of older citizens?

As people approach and enter one of life's more difficult transitions — from middle age to senior citizen status, they frequently experience a sense of information anxiety because (l) they anticipate that they will not know enough to successfully cope with an upcoming event or set of events or (2) they find themselves in an event or set of events and discover a serious lack of information. This course will help information specialists focus on the changes that typically take place during the age years of 55 through 75, the knowledge requirements of older adults and how information specialists might best serve those needs.

This course is designed to help participants achieve, and validate their achievement of, the following three broad outcomes:

1. Develop an understanding of major topics of importance to senior citizens.

2. Develop an ability to evaluate information resources to address those major topics.

3. Develop an ability to design information services for older adults.

This course is aimed at those persons who are working or plan to work in organizations seeking to meet the information needs of senior citizens—public libraries, hospitals, government agencies, financial institutions, retirement/nursing establishments, senior centers, legal firms, colleges, churches, leisure/travel businesses, private associations. Individuals interested in writing articles, books, and media presentations for the senior population may also find this opportunity useful. This course should be valuable to those wishing to target the mature audience in marketing, advertising and promotional activities.

LI863 XA Scenarios & Information Planning taught by Hillary McLellan

This two-credit hour course will offer an examination of scenarios and their role as a management tool for planning and future forecasting. Scenarios have become increasingly powerful tools for developing strategic visions within information organizations. As a planning tool, scenarios have many advantages including: 1) providing a way to embody information, so it can be communicated effectively and efficiently, 2) opening people to multiple perspectives, 3) providing a psychological impact that graphs and equations lack, and 4) providing a means of summarizing both information and the surrounding context in an incomparable way. Direct course questions to Dr. McLellan at drhilary@netheaven.com

Anyone interested in taking the class as a non-degree seeking student may call the Emporia State University Center for Life Long Learning to enroll, 316-341-5316. Tuition is $210.

FOUNDATION CENTER HOLDS FALL 1998 PROPOSAL WRITING SEMINAR IN SEATTLE

The Foundation Center has announced the fall 1998 schedule for its popular series of Proposal Writing Seminars. These full-day seminars, now in their sixth year, introduce novices to the most effective proposal writing strategies and help more experienced fundraisers and nonprofit executives refine and augment their skills. The seminar will be offered in Seattle on October 23, 1998.

Jane C. Geever, an established consultant and author of The Foundation Center's Guide to Proposal Writing (2^nd Edition, February 1997), has built her career on writing successful grant proposals. The Foundation Center's Proposal Writing Seminars are conducted by Ms. Geever, president of J.C. Geever, Inc., or by the company's executive vice president, John Hicks. Geever and Hicks use their extensive experience to help seminar participants acquire the proposal writing skills necessary to secure more grants from foundation and corporate sources. Attendees take an active role in developing their skills. "At the seminars," Geever notes, "attendees have the opportunity to gain immediate feedback on specific strategies or approaches they are working on."

The fall seminars will provide attendees with an insider's perspective on proposal preparation from the grantmaker's point of view. Geever and Hicks will present findings from a recent survey of foundation and corporate grantmakers. Survey findings reveal the behind-the-scenes decisions that determine proposal acceptance—how funders process and evaluate proposals—as well as forecasts on new trends in grantmaking.

Seminar attendees will discover new ways to construct proposals designed to capture and sustain a funder's attention. Guidelines on how to organize a grant proposal package, how to structure a complex proposal, the appropriate level of detail to include in a budget, and what to write in a cover letter are among the important "nuts and bolts" that participants gain from these in-depth presentations. In addition, Geever and Hicks discuss ways to fine-tune proposals to match a particular grantmaker's interests and point out circumstances in which grantmakers might prefer to see a letter of inquiry rather than a full proposal.

For fundraisers, nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers, grantseeking is necessarily an ongoing, challenging process. "Even with the best of proposals, follow-up work is essential to success," says Geever. "At every seminar we demonstrate ways that attendees can build lasting working relationships with grantmakers." Additional topics covered include how to report on a grant's progress and impact, and how to re-submit a grant proposal that is initially turned down.

The Seattle seminar will be held Friday, October 23, at Seattle Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1113 6^th Avenue. Each Proposal Writing Seminar attendee receives a copy of the Guide to Proposal Writing (a $34.95 value), a 100+ page workbook outlining all major seminar topics, and lunch as part of the registration fee. The seminar is $175 per person, and $150 for additional attendees from the same organization who register at the same time. To register, call the Foundation Center's Customer Service Department at 1-800-424-9836, or visit the Center's site on the World Wide Web at http://www.fdncenter.org for complete details and a downloadable or interactive form with which to register. For additional information, call 212-807-2451.

BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW

The following is a list of books available for review in the Idaho Librarian. If you would like to review one of these titles, please e-mail Christine DeZelar-Tiedman (chrisd@belle.lib.uidaho.edu). Postal address: University of Idaho Library, Rayburn Street, Moscow, Idaho 83844-2350 USA.

Cowboy Memories of Montana. Mark Perrault. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

Fire, Faults & Floods: A Road & Trail Guide Exploring the Origins of the Columbia River Basin. Marge & Ted Mueller. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

The Great Poem of the Earth: A Study of the Poetry of Thomas Hornsby Ferril. Andrew Elkins. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

The Journals of Patrick Gass: Member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Edited and annotated by Carol Lynn MacGregor. Missoula: Mountain Press Pub. Co., 1997.

Mavericks: the Lives and Battles of Montana's Political Legends. John Morrison and Catherine Wright Morrison. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

Roadside Geology of Hawaii. Richard W. Hazlett and Donald W. Hyndman. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Co, 1996.

Rock Burst. Bert and Marie Russell. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1998.

Travelers in an Antique Land. Poems by William Studebaker, photographs by Russell Hepworth. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

Very Close to Trouble: the Johnny Grant Memoir. Edited by Lyndel Meikle. Pullman, WA: WSU Press, 1996.

Wise Economies: Brevity and Storytelling in American Short Stories. Kirk Curnutt. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.

The World of David Wagoner. Ron McFarland. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press, 1997.