ALA News Releases (June 2, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alareleases/alareleases-95062 ALA NEWS RELEASES June 2, 1995 This batch contains: 1. Access to diversity collections available electronically 2. ACRL supports teleconference for library assistants 3. ALA IFRT State and Regional Achievement Award recipient named 4. Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant recipient named 5. Banned Books Week - Celebrating the Freedom to Read materials available 6. Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship winners named 7. Loleta D. Fyan Grant recipient named 8. King Arthur discussion theme and promotional items available 9. RASD publishes guide to electronic skills assessment 10. Revised library standards for the handicapped published 11. Jesse H. Shera Award for Research recipient named 12. ACRL\LITA to cosponsor President's Program at ALA Annual Conference 13. ACRL to offer "Toward the Digital Library" at ALA Annual Conference 14. ALA Committee on Professional Ethics to present Ethics "R" US 15. ALA Gay Lesbian and Bisexual Task Force to host preconference 16. Alyson Publications founder to speak during ALA Annual Conference 17. Bead Weaver sales at ALA Conference to benefit Freedom to Read Foundation 18. James W. Marchand to present John Comaromi Lecture 1. Access to diversity collections available electronically "Electronic Publishing Alternatives for Collections of America's Diversity, Occasional Paper 18" is the latest publication from the Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD). The publication was developed by the RASD Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) User Access to Services Committee and designed for archivists, publishers, librarians, associates in research centers and societies. It provides information on how to turn valuable, but invisible print resources into more valuable and highly visible electronic resources, identifies electronic publishing alternatives and includes information on free commercial services and successful case studies. "Electronic Publishing Alternatives for Collections of America's Diversity, Occasional Paper 18" (ISBN is 0-8389-7799-5) is $20 ($18 for RASD members). It is available from: American Library Association, Order Fulfillment, 520 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60610. Telephone: 800-545-2433, press 7. Fax: 312-836-9958. RASD is a division of the American Library Association. 2. ACRL supports teleconference series for library assistants The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has endorsed "Soaring to Excellence," a series of 10 teleconferences designed to provide Library Technical Assistants (LTAs) with a basic understanding of practices, issues and concerns in today's libraries The teleconferences are broadcast by satellite on selected Tuesdays through June by the National Institute for Library Personnel at the College of DuPage (C.O.D.) in Glen Ellyn, Ill. They are made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Library Education and Human Resource Development Program. "We want other organizations to know that ACRL supports academic libraries and not solely the professional librarians," said Althea Jenkins, ACRL executive director. "We believe strongly in the education of library technical assistants." Some of the program topics covered during the teleconference include "Libraries Then and Now: What Does the Future Hold?," "Individualized Library Service for a Diverse Population," "Technology and the Library Staff," "Technology and the Library User" and "Reference Sources for Real-Life Issues." The final program, "Meet the Library Assistants," will discuss the variety of staff roles in the library. Library workers from academic, public, school and special libraries will discuss their duties, how they fit into their organization and how they see their future. Bernard Fradkin, project co-director and dean of Learning Resources at C.O.D., said initial teleconferences evaluations indicate the program to be highly successful. Linda Slusa, of C.O.D.'s Learning Resources Center, is the other project codirector. For more information, contact ACRL at 800-545-2433, ext. 3248/2510, or 312-280-3248/2510. 3. ALA IFRT State and Regional Achievement Award recipient named The Northern Virginia Citizens Against Censorship is the 1995 recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Round Table State and Regional Achievement Award. The award, $1,000 donated by Social Issues Resource Series, Inc. (SIRS) and a citation, recognizes outstanding contributions to intellectual freedom at the state or regional level. "The Northern Virginia Citizens Against Censorship is being recognized for its extraordinarily successful effort in creating a grassroots coalition of people of varying backgrounds to fight for their freedom to read against organized pressure groups," said Frederick Stielow, chair of the IFRT State and Regional Achievement Award Committee. "In just one year of existence, the coalition gathered 800 members and put together a successful public relations campaign that demonstrated broad-based support for First Amendment freedoms and was instrumental in securing the right of library users to select from a wide diversity of materials in Northern Virginia." The award will be presented on Saturday, June 24, during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. 4. Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant recipient named Lynn Silipigni Connaway and Danny P. Wallace are the 1995 recipients of the American Library Association (ALA) Carroll Preston Baber Research Grant. The $7,500 grant supports innovative research that could lead to an improvement in library services to any specific group of people. It was donated by Eric R. Baber of Newton, Kan., in honor of his father who was library director at Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) for 27 years. Baber died in January 1991, leaving ALA an endowment to support the award in perpetuity. Connaway, assistant professor, School of Library and Informational Science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and Wallace, professor and associate dean, School of Library and Information Science, Louisiana State University, received the grant for a project titled "Organized Access to Engineering Internet Resources Using Indexing Principles." The project is designed to address the problem of finding relevant information in the multitude of resources available on the Internet. It will explore the possibility of applying systematic indexing techniques to the retrieval of engineering information from Internet sources. "This is an important project," said Renee Feinberg, chair of the Baber Grant Jury. "Eric Baber believed that libraries should harness technology for the benefit of library users. He died before the Internet was widely known, but would be proud to fund a project where libraries use their unique skills to make information more easily available." Connaway has been a library practitioner, teacher, conference speaker and consultant. Much of her research and writing focuses on the organization of information and library technical services. Connaway has a master's degree in library science from the University of Arizona and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wallace is a writer and frequent speaker. He is co-editor of RQ, the official journal of the Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD). He has a master's degree in library science from the University of Missouri and a doctorate in library science from the University of Illinois. RASD is a division of the American Library Association. 5. Banned Books Week - Celebrating the Freedom to Read materials available Materials for the 1995 observance of Banned Books Week - Celebrating the Freedom to Read, September 23-30, are available from the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). Banned Books Week is an annual observance that calls attention to the dangers of censorship and encourages support for the freedom to read. The materials include a Resource Kit, with four posters, 100 bookmarks and a Resource Book with ideas on how to create displays and organize events. The Resource book has an annotated list of challenged or banned books, quotes, puzzels and camera-ready art. The kit is $28, plus shipping and handling. Available separately are packets of 100 reprints of the list of books that have been challenged or banned during 1994-95 for $20 per 100 and bookmarks for $5 per 100, or $20 for 500 (plus postage and handling). Banned Books Week is cosponsored by the ALA, the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress. For more information, or to order Banned Books Week materials, contact: ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: 800-545-233, ext. 4223, or 312-280-4223. FAX: 312-280-4227. 6. Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship winners named Wendi Elizabeth Birkhead of Denton, Texas, and Sarah Willis of Idaho Falls, Idaho, are the 1995 recipients of the Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarships administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). The scholarships, $5,000 each donated by Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., are given annually to students who plan to enter an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited program to obtain a master's degree in library science and specialize in library service to children. "Many deserving candidates applied for the scholarships, but the committee was convinced that these two are particularly well-qualified and will be successful in their library careers," said June Level, chair of the Bound to Stay Bound Books Scholarship Committee. Birkhead has a bachelor's degree in film criticism and video production, and a master's degree in children's literature. She said through her studies in video she realized that many students had read only assigned books and did not have an appreciation of reading as a vital part of a child's life. Birkhead hopes to "share her excitement about language and literature with children to show that television is not the only disseminator of entertainment and information." "Changing careers from 14 years as an elementary teacher to children's services librarian will enable me to share my love of children, books and reading with more than a classroom of students," said Willis in her application. "I am especially concerned with assisting reluctant readers to find reading that interests them." Willis and her husband will both begin studies leading to master's degrees in library science this summer. The awards will be presented during the ALA Annual Conference, June 22-29, in Chicago. 7. Loleta D. Fyan Grant recipient named Judith J. Senkevitch, assistant professor, School of Library and Information Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is the 1995 recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) Loleta D. Fyan Grant. The $10,000 grant is named in honor of Loleta D. Fyan, a past ALA president (1951-52), who provided funds in her will. It is designed to support a project that will develop and/or improve public library services, effect changes that are innovative and responsive to the future and has the potential for broader impact and application beyond a specific local need. Applicants can include, but are not limited to local, regional or state libraries, associations or organizations, including ALA units, library schools or individuals. Senkevitch received the grant for her proposal titled "Improving Library Services To Individuals With Special Needs." The project is designed to provide practical assistance to public libraries in improving services to those with special needs and in successfully implementing grant-funded projects. Using a qualitative, case-study design, the study will explore the documented and perceived outcomes of Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) Library Services to Special Needs Populations grants awarded to 150 Wisconsin public libraries between 1988 and 1993. The data collection methodology will include analysis of existing documentation (grant proposals and final reports) on the 150 projects and a series of structured interviews for 30 selected funded projects. "The project proposed by Judith Senkevitch will provide practical assistance to public libraries in improving service to people with special needs," said Linda Mielke, chair of the Fyan Grant Jury. "It will also assist state library agencies in making decisions about the best use of limited funds for assisting libraries." Senkevitch has published extensively and has recently completed several funded research projects designed to assist public librarians in enhancing library services. In addition to the $10,000 Fyan Grant, Senkevitch is also the recipient of the first $500 Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Research Grant for this project. She has a doctorate from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey where she studied in the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies. ASCLA is a division of the American Library Association. 8. King Arthur discussion theme and promotional items available Program materials for "The Many Realms of King Arthur," the latest "Let's Talk About It" reading and discussion theme from the American Library Association (ALA), are now available from ALA. Reading and discussion materials are available in theme kits that include 10 posters, 100 pamphlets with essays and bibliographies and a promotion pack with publicity ideas, sample press releases, clip art and ad mats ($45). Theme pamphlets may be purchased separately in packs of 100 ($20). Other items include a white t-shirt with a black Aubrey Beardsley illustration from the Arthurian legends ($12), a set of eight notecards (one black-and-white and three color designs) featuring King Arthur images from the Newberry Library collection ($8.95), a color poster from the King Arthur exhibition ($6), a 48-page color exhibition catalog ($14.95) and a coloring book with 14 black-and-white illustrations from the legends ($6.95). "The Many Realms of King Arthur" was created in connection with a national traveling exhibition of the same name sponsored by ALA and the Newberry Library in Chicago. Participants in King Arthur reading and discussion programs investigate medieval, Renaissance, Victorian and 20th-century perspectives on Arthur and examine why his legend has endured throughout the ages. Among the books used in the series are "Idylls of the King" by Alfred Lord Tennyson, "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White and "The Lyre of Orpheus" by Robertson Davies. To order materials, contact: ALA Graphics, Order Fulfillment, 520 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60610. Telephone: 800-545-2433, press 7. FAX: 312-836-9958. For more information on King Arthur materials and the traveling exhibition, contact ALA Public Programs at 800-545-2433, ext. 5053 or 5056. FAX: 312-280-3224. 9. RASD publishes guide to electronic skills assessment "Electronic Resources Skills: An Assessment and Development Log for Reference Staff, Occasional Paper 17" is available from the Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD). The publication was developed by the RASD Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) Education, Training and Support Committee. It includes reproducible forms with clearly written instructions that will allow supervisors and trainers to determine the experience of new staff as well as plan orientation, training activities and monitor continuing education for all members of the reference team. Designed for managers in academic, special, public and school libraries, individual librarians will also find the forms helpful when planning their own personal and professional development. "Electronic Resources Skills: An Assessment and Development Log for Reference Staff" (ISBN 0-8389-7795-2) is $14 ($12.50 for RASD members). It is available from: American Library Association, Order Fulfillment, 520 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: 800-545-2433, press 7. Fax: 312-836-9958. RASD is a division of the American Library Association. 10. Revised library standards for the handicapped published "Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1995," a compilation of standards for the 144 participating libraries in the Library of Congress network, has been published by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA). The publication includes the committee's working paper, a statement of principles, and the standards and guidelines. Standards are provided for a number of areas including cores services, resource development and management, public education, consulting services, volunteers, administration/organization, budget and funding, planning and evaluation, policies and procedures, reports, personnel, and research and development. Guidelines are given for personnel and space. The standards are a revision of a 1984 edition. Funding for the three-year project was provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress. "This edition of the standards combines fundamental service goals with a flexible approach to implementation," said project director Donna Dziedzic of Organization Transition Solutions. "The expectation is that these standards will contribute to improvements in library service to this constituency in the light of continuing and profound changes affecting every level of service." "Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 1995" (ISBN 0-8389-7797-9) is $12 ($11 for ASCLA members). It is available from: American Library Association, Order Fulfillment, 520 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60610. Telephone: 800-545-2433, press 7. Fax: 312-836-9958. ASCLA is a division of the American Library Association. 11. Jesse H. Shera Award for Research recipient named Catherine Sheldrick Ross of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, is the 1995 recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) Jesse H. Shera Award for Research. The $500 award is given for an outstanding original paper reporting the results of research related to libraries. Ross received the award for a paper titled "If They Read Nancy Drew, So What? -- Readers Talk Back." The paper addresses the long-term effects of reading juvenile series fiction. "The paper was judged outstanding in the significance of the problem addressed and its presentation of a contemporary approach to research, combining several methods of data collection and analysis to address the problem," said Sydney Pierce, chair of the Shera Award Jury. "Its conclusions challenge common professional assumptions about the value of series fiction." The award is named in honor of Shera, former dean of the School of Library and Information Science at Case Western University. He was known for his outstanding leadership in promoting the importance of research to the effective development of the theory and practice of library and information science. He died in 1982. An endowment to support the award was established in 1987 and additional funds are welcomed. Checks should be made payable to the ALA Library Research Round Table and sent to: Shera Endowment, LRRT, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. The deadline for submission of papers for the 1996 award is February 1, 1996. A copy of the award guidelines will be available in September by writing to: Office for Research and Statistics, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. E-mail: Mary.Jo.Lynch@ala.org. 12. ACRL/LITA to cosponsor President's Program at ALA Annual Conference "The Life of the Mind in the Digital Age" is the title of a joint President's Program hosted by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) on Monday, June 26, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Hilton Hotel, Continental Ballrooms A and B. The program will be held during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. A panel will discuss the impact of computing and communications technology on the work of scholars and teachers. They will focus on changes in the working lives of academics and the impact of these changes on the nature of knowledge for research and teaching and the structure of the academy. Featured speakers are cultural anthropologist Jennifer James of Seahurst, Wash., Michael Joyce, professor of English at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Gregory Farrington, dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Marshall Keys, executive director of NELINET in Newton, Mass., will serve as moderator. For more information, contact ACRL at 800-545-2433, ext. 3248, or 312-280-3248. 13. ACRL to offer "Toward the Digital Library" at ALA Annual Conference "Toward the Digital Library: Academic Library Futures" will be held on Sunday, June 25, from 9:30 to 11 a.m., at the McCormick Center Complex, North Building, Room 227 A, B., hosted by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The program will be held during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. The program is designed to explain the concepts of the digital library and how to bring it into reality from the perspective of two National Science Foundation Digital Library Grant recipients and a representative of the Library of Congress. The speakers are Bill Mischo, librarian at the Grainger Engineering Library and Information Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dan Atkins, dean of the University of Michigan School of Information and Library Studies, Ann Arbor, and Suzanne Thorin, chief of staff at the Library of Congress. For more information, contact ACRL at 800-545-2433, ext. 3248, or 312-280-3248. ACRL is a division of the American Library Association. 14. ALA Committee on Professional Ethics to again present Ethics "R" Us The American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Professional Ethics will once again use role play to probe ethical issues of concerns to librarians on Sunday, June 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Returning by popular demand for their eighth consecutive appearance, the Not- Quite-Ready-for-Prime-Time-Players will present "Professional v. Paraprofessional, dealing with establishing policies for staff, and "ILL Overload," a skit on the ethics of interlibrary loan. Another program, "Why Do You Want to Know About That?," will look at the issue of controversial requests. Written and performed by present and past members of the ALA Committee on Professional Ethics, the short plays are designed to explore the issues in an entertaining and thought-provoking manner. Following the performance of each skit, there will be an audience participation discussion of the ethical issues the play raises. For more information, contact ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 800-545-2433, ext 4223, or 312-280-4223. 15. ALA Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Task Force to host preconference "Reaching Inside-Reaching Out: Supporting Growth in Libraries and Society" will be held on Friday, June 23, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Palmer House Hotel as a preconference to the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. The program is sponsored by the ALA Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Task Force. Featured speaker will be Donna Minkovitz of The Village Voice. Minkovitz and other speakers will explore the roles and responsibilities of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the information society. Topics include Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals in the Library Workplace, Cyperpaths to LesBiGay Information Resources and LesBiGay Issues in Collection Development and Community Services. The preconference is consponsored by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Women's Studies Section and the ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT). For more information, contact the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, 800-545-2433, ext. 3211, or 312-280-3211. ACRL is a division of the American Library Association. 16. Alyson Publications founder to speak during ALA Annual Conference Sasha Alyson, founder of Alyson Wonderland Publications, will speak on Monday, June 26, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Chicago Hilton & Towers, International Ballroom S, during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. The program is sponsored by the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) and the Association of American Publishers Freedom to Read Committee. Alyson is a pioneer in publishing books for children that depict nontraditional (particularly gay-parented) families as normal and loving. Several Alyson Wonderland publications, including "Daddy's Roommate," "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Gloria Goes to Gay Pride" have been the subject of heated censorship battles in schools and libraries across the country. "Librarians owe a debt of gratitude to Sasha Alyson who came to their aid when censors threatened to force libraries to remove Allyson Wonderland Publications from library shelves," said Candace Morgan, chair of the ALA IFC. "As a pioneer in children's publishing, Alyson has provided needed diversity in children's materials so that kids who live in nontraditional family settings can find families like theirs depicted in children's literature. "Alyson Wonderland books also help parents discuss nontraditional family arrangements with their children and to explain how some children live in different, but no less loving, circumstances. Alyson has stood firm against the forces of censorship and has been a friend to librarians who are eager to hear his experiences as a frequently- censored publisher." Alyson's presentation will be followed by an audience question and answer period. 17. Bead Weaver sales at ALA Conference to benefit Freedom to Read Foundation Carolyn Forsman of Bead Weaver, Ltd., will sell her jewelry for children and adults during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. Proceeds from the sale, June 24-27, will benefit the Freedom to Read Foundation. "We're delighted and grateful that Carolyn Forsman will once again offer her bestselling jewelry to benefit the Freedom to Read Foundation," said Judith F. Krug, Foundation executive director and director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). "Carolyn's contribution of the proceeds of Bead Weaver sales over the last 10 years has been vital to the Foundation's continued ability to fight legal battles in defense of the freedom to read." Forsman, a former librarian and ALA Councilor, has raised more than $20,000 to benefit the Freedom to Read Foundation. Her designs are sold in more than 100 museum shops, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim and the Smithsonian. Bead Weaver designs are also found in specialty toy, children's, Friends and book stores. Her designs have been well-known among librarians attending ALA conferences. New offerings this year include a rainbow version of her DNA bracelet, laser-rimmed mini eyeglasses pin, and eyeball and love knot rings. Forsman's classic hand-tied barrettes, Matyroska doll jewelry, bike chain jewelry, campy earrings, men's ties and rainbow belts will also be available. Five of her bestsellers will also be available in the ALA Store. In keeping with Bead Weaver's logo, "Upscale and under $10," most of the items are priced from one dollar to $10. The Freedom to Read Foundation was founded in 1969 by the American Library Association to provide legal assistance and defense in cases protecting First Amendment rights in libraries. The Foundation defends libraries' rights to collect and make available any work they may legally require, and the rights of library users to have unrestricted access to those constitutionally-protected materials. 18. James W. Marchand to present John Comaromi Lecture James W. Marchand, professor of German, linguistics and comparative literature at the Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, will present the John Comaromi Lecture on Monday, June 26, from 9 to 11:30 a.m., during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago. The program is sponsored by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS). Marchand will speak at the ALCTS President's Program titled "There's Gold in Them Thar Stacks: The Importance of Print Collections in the Digital Age." He holds a permanent appointment in the Center for Advanced Study. Marchand has taught at Cumberland University, Howard College, University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Washington University, Harvard University, University of California- Berkeley, Vanderbilt University, Cornell University and the University of Illinois. Marchand is an internationally-recognized authority on a wide variety of subjects including medieval studies, Germanic linguistics, older and modern German literature, Yiddish and the applications of the computer in the humanities. He has published more than 100 articles and chapters in seven languages. He is an honorary life member of the Linguistic Society of America. The Comaromi Lectureship supports an ALCTS conference speaker in the area of bibliographic access and its importance for library users. It was established by Myung Comaromi, widow of John Comaromi, editor of the Dewey Decimal Classification from 1980 until his death in November 1991. Comaromi was also chief of the Decimal Classification Section at the Library of Congress. He conducted more than 45 workshops and wrote numerous articles explaining and clarifying the Dewey Decimal Classification. For more information, contact the ALCTS Office at 800-545-2433, ext. 5037, or 312- 280-5037. ALCTS is a division of the American Library Association.