Survey Invites Feedback on Future State Library Services

Submitted by jhenry on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:26

 

     REMINDER-Your Input is Important!

Acting State Librarian Jeffrey W. Cannell invites the library community and library leaders to participate in an online opinion survey about future programs and services of the New York State Library. The survey is posted at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J6W3BQH  and will be open until 5pm February 1st.

The State Library is conducting a multi-faceted evaluation of New York’s current Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Five Year Plan (2007-2012). Data from this evaluation, along with the far reaching policy recommendations in the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries new 2020 Vision for library services will help inform and shape New York State’s new  LSTA Five Year Plan (2012-2017) as well as a new strategic plan for the State Library.  

CVES SLS Online Course: Digital Tools with Polly Farrington

Submitted by jhenry on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 14:20

Great news!

The School Library System of Champlain Valley Educational Services in partnership with the School Library Systems of Questar III, Washington-Saratoga-Hamilton-Warren-Essex, Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery, and Capital Region (Albany) are offering online professional development opportunities for school librarians on a variety of digital tools.

Our program Cool Tools for School  will be modeled after the popular “23 Things” project launched by Helen Blowers in 2006 at the NC Public Library System. 

Workshops are conducted by presenter Polly Farrington (http://www.pafa.net/ ) Polly’s hands-on workshops have met with great success in our region and we’re excited to bring her methodology into an online format to fit the busy schedules of our teacher librarians. 

My SOPA Box

Submitted by jhenry on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 11:05

 

Colleagues,

I know that many of you have been following this issue for months but I thought I would share today’s New York Times article regarding the SOPA/PIPA blackout. http://tinyurl.com/7cu5xty

If this issue hasn’t been on your radar before now, it really needs to be. Librarians and others who keep a close eye on censorship issues may be aware of this bill, individuals who follow tech news are likely aware of this bill but until now the issue was unknown to the average person. I do admit that I’m excited that the mainstream media have taken this issue and run with it, and most seem to be doing it with more or less the same stance, with the exception of Fox News (whose parent company News Corp is in favor of bill).

Governor Releases 2012-2013 Executive Budget

Submitted by jhenry on Tue, 01/17/2012 - 15:30

(Please excuse cross-postings. Posted on NYLINE)

The Governor has released his proposed 2012-13 Executive Budget and has kept Library Aid funding flat at last year’s final level of $79 million (including the $3 million restored by the Legislature) and has also included $14 million in Public Library Construction funds.

In addition, School Aid (as promised by the Governor earlier) has been allocated a 4% increase or $805 million in additional funding to $20.3 billion (30% of state general fund).  The caveat is that the increased aid is tied to school districts adopting the new teacher evaluation process.

CUNY and SUNY also receive same amount of general fund support as last year with the authority to spend the additional tuition increases ($113.2 million for SUNY and $66.6 million for CUNY).

Community colleges were also held at last year’s levels of $2,122 per student reimbursement.

Adult Literacy Education (ALE) funding was also flat with last year at $4.2 million.

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