BOSTON (July 25, 2008) –The Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science (www.simmons.edu/gslis) has been awarded a grant of nearly $1.8 million from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to enhance the preparation of state and public librarians in senior-level leadership roles.

This grant will expand the current Simmons GSLIS Ph.D. concentration in managerial leadership by providing library and information managers in middle- to upper-level management the opportunity to study leadership in the context of public and state libraries, and giving them intensive interaction with current library leaders. Successful applicants will be awarded full tuition and a travel stipend.

Courses will allow students to customize their study and research to their career needs and the needs of their employers, and will be offered on a flexible schedule so that students may continue their full-time careers. The program will develop a body of scholarly and practice-based research that the Simmons GSLIS will disseminate to the profession, and will continually update and examine leadership issues in information-related organizations.

IMLS funded the establishment of the Simmons GSLIS's original managerial leadership Ph.D. concentration in 2005, under the guidance of GSLIS professors Peter Hernon and Candy Schwartz, both recognized leaders in their fields. For more information about the managerial leadership Ph.D. concentration, contact Jennifer Andrews, Program Manager, at phdml@simmons.edu or visit http://www.simmons.edu/gslis/academics/programs/doctoral/phdmlip/index.shtml.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums.

The nationally ranked Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science is one of the oldest and largest library and information science programs in the nation.

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Posted by Amy T. at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We at READS want to remind you of the program we are presenting on the 24th of October. It will offer suggestions from a variety of people involved in human services to help us best serve our disabled customers. Speakers will include librarians, representatives from social services, and specialists in serving people with a variety of disabilities. We hope you come with questions, suggestions, and examples of your own experiences.

The deadline for registering is October 10th. Forms are available at the READS Fall Conference page.

Hope to see you!

Categories: Professional Development , READS

Posted by Linda T. at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The next NHLA-ITS quarterly drop-in meeting will take place on Tuesday, Oct.28th at 10am at the Howe Library in Hanover, NH. In addition to discussing general IT topics of interest and concern, we will also be given a presentation by the Howe Library staff about their new website and the content management system upon which it is based. We'll also get a chance to take a look at the three new Kindles they have made available to be checked out by their patrons.

For directions to the Howe Library, visit their snazzy new website, http://www.thehowe.org. Library Director Mary White and their technology coordinator Pamela Smith, both members of ITS, will be our hosts.

Categories: ITS

Posted by Steve B. at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Most of us work at libraries that can't afford to send us to some of the major library conferences, for example the annual Public Library Association conference. This year, PLA was held in Minnesota in March, and who really wants to go to Minnesota in the spring? But fear not. A great many of the presentation handouts from conference sessions are freely available to download on the PLA website, http://www.placonference.org/handoutspage.cfm. So don't hesitate. Visit the site right away and start downloading. It's free!

Does anyone know of other major library conferences that make their handouts freely available online following the conference? If so, please leave a comment!

Categories: Professional Development

Posted by Steve B. at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Very nice speaking with you today. Included below is a general project description, short benefits summary, and how the program works. I really appreciate you forwarding the opportunity state-wide. We are looking forward to partnering with public libraries in New Hampshire so that ALL kids can get the benefits of the award-winning curriculum. Please preview a full ½ hour episode of LOMAX when you get the chance: http://www.cpbn.org/program/lomax-hound-music.

We typically form partnerships with associations or systems to implement the educational outreach for this project and provide group in-service trainings once a year. Any additional feedback on how we can move forward is greatly appreciated.

Warm Regards,
Gene

Gene B. Hale, III
Vice President/General Manager
Melody Hounds® Music Classes
P: 800-619-2206, F: 732-450-9250
gene3rd@melodyhounds.com
www.MelodyHounds.com

Melody Hounds® is a new curriculum-based, multi-media music program designed to help ALL kids develop an artful sense of melody and rhythm.

We are currently running the curriculum/classes in over 150 local YMCAs Nationally, helping 10,000+ kids ages 2.5 to 7 years enhance their musical intelligence. The “Media” element of our project comes by way of a curriculum-based TV series called Lomax, The Hound of Music™ airing on Public Television this fall. The LOMAX TV series mirrors the Melody Hounds® music classes being run in a growing number of locations across the country.

Lomax: The Hound of Music is a new, highly participatory, 13-part children's series premiering on PBS October 6^th 2008. Our partners creating the series are the same people that brought you Between the Lions®. Please watch a full ½ hour episode of LOMAX when you get the chance: http://www.cpbn.org/program/lomax-hound-music.

Starting now, we are extending this new program opportunity to Public Libraries across the United States. 

Benefits Summary:

All children receiving Melody Hounds are getting numerous cross-curricular benefits in addition to enhancing their musical development. They are learning mathematical concepts through the beat exercises, language development through songs/rhymes, even learning our country's history through songtales. The kids are also learning social skills, such as waiting their turn, reducing performance anxiety, and building self-esteem. Other concepts learned are critical thinking skills, expressive speech, fine and gross motor skills including awareness of body parts (Laban-wrote a complex code for body movement, we use this in our lessons), imagination, creativity, and cultural and moral values. All these wonderful aspects of the curriculum will be reinforced at home when LOMAX airs this fall. We also provide licensed sites with a parent letter to send home so parents can log-in to the parent section of www.melodyhounds.com and hopefully get involved at home!

How it works:

1. Cost - $900 annual fee per library (this is our typical discounted association rate assuming all staff from each site can attend one group training and at least 4 libraries participate)
2. Program Application - MH recommends the program be delivered to 10-15 kids at a time, 1 to 5 times a week, for 20-25 minutes at a time.
3. Training – we provide an annual in-service training for all your staff. You will receive a new group training each year and there is no limit to the number of staff each site sends (training is included in the annual fee). Training lasts approximately 3 hours and anyone trained can effectively teach the program (i.e. you don't have to be a professional singer or musician).
4. 2009 MH Kit - each licensed site receives an MH kit (all teaching materials fit into a portable duffel bag provided by Melody Hounds), and a new one each year that will correspond with the TV Series. Everything needed to operate the program is included in the MH kit.
5. Website - as part of the program, your Melody Hounds parents will have exclusive access via user name & password (per licensed site) to the parent section of our website where they will find words from the songs/rhymes done in class and at-home activities.

Categories: CHILIS

Posted by Amy T. at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The entire NHLA website is now searchable from the home page. Look for the Google Custom Search form on the right hand side, just below the form for searching the blog. I know that's a bit confusing, so let me spell it out. If you want to limit your search to blog entries, use the top search box. If you want your search to include blog entries and all other pages within the nhlibraries.org domain, including the CHILIS, READS, READS-TO-GO, URBANS and NHLA websites, use the Google Custom Search form.

If you're interested in adding a Google Custom Search form to your library's website, join the Information Technology Section (by sending me an email stating you want to do so, skbutzel at lib.cityofportrsmouth.com) and members of ITS will help you through the process. Remember, joining ITS is completely free. There is no membership fee.

Categories: ITS , Technology

Posted by Steve B. at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You may not know it, but some NHLA sections have created Google Groups for communicating within their section. Here are links to the Google Groups for the Information Technology Section and the Academics Section.

• NHLA-ITS Google Group. If you'd like to join the Google Group, just send me an email (skbutzel at lib.cityofportsmouth.com) and I will send you an invite. Their is no membership fee to join.
  
• NHLA Academic Section Google Group

Categories: Academics , CHILIS , ITS

Posted by Steve B. at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just in case you didn't receive notice of the previous post, here it is again...

Listed below are quarterly reports from NHLA Board members. Download and read through any or all of them.

    * Executive Board meeting minutes, August 2008
    * Past President and Conference Chair reports
    * Vice President's report
    * Treasurer's report, July 2008
    * Treasurer's report, August 2008
    * Financial report
    * Academics Section report
    * READS report
    * Information Technology Section (ITS) report
    * Webmaster report
    * Continuing Education report
    * Membership report
    * Scholarship report
    * Ways and Means report
    * Center for the Book (State Library)
    * Conference attendance
    * YALS bylaws
 

Categories: Executive Board

Posted by Steve B. at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Categories: Executive Board

Posted by Steve B. at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's official! Plans for the 2008 NHLA Annual Business Meeting have been finalized, and a brochure/registration form can now be downloaded here. The meeting will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nashua, and the theme of the day is "21st Century Information Literacy: Patrons & Librarians".

Here is an overview of how the day is planned:

9:00-9:30: Registration and Continental Buffet Breakfast

9:30-11:00: "Adult Literacy Programs, Keys to Success" featuring presentations by Beth Sabol (Manchester City Library), Judy Fournier (Fuller Public Library in Hillsboro, NH) and Nancy Ladd (Pillsbury Free Library in Warner, NH).

11:15-12:30: "Federated Searching Case Study: NELLCO" featuring presentations by Tracy Thompson Executive Director of the New England Law Library Consortium and Roberta Woods, Assistant Professor of Research at the Franklin Pierce Law Center and the Pierce Law Library.

12:30-1:30: Lunch Buffet

1:30-2:00: Annual NHLA Membership Meeting

2:15-3:30: "21st Century Information Literacy" featuring a presentation by Heidi McCann, Reference and Instructional Services Librarian at Mount Wachusett Community College.

Biographies for each of the presenters will be provided along with other detailed event information on the Fall Business Meeting webpage. Please direct questions to me (skbutzel at lib.cityofportsmouth.com) or give me a call at 603-766-1711. I hope to see you all in Nashua!

Categories: Events

Posted by Steve B. at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The CHILIS Fall Conference will take place on Thursday, October 16 at the Littleton Elks Lodge in Bethlehem, NH.

The conference is hosted by Steffanie Smith of the Littleton Public Library.

Conference programs will include presentations/discussions on the following topics:

• Evaluating children's materials about Native Americans

• Bringing books to life with songs and sounds

• Serving individuals on the autism spectrum.

The CHILIS Business meeting will open the conference with an election of board members and an important discussion about the fate of the Summer Reading Program. Fred Reidy of Puppet World will again be on hand to help you choose that perfect puppet.

For more information and to download an application form, visit the CHILIS website at http://www.nhlibrarians.org/chilis

The registration deadline is Friday, October 10. Please note that checks should be made payable to CHILIS and that the registration forms should be vanned or mailed to Gail Drucker at the Laconia Public Library.

Categories: CHILIS , Conferences , Events

Posted by Cathy M. at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

READS members will meet at the Local Government Center in Concord for the annual Fall Conference. This year’s topic is "How to Best Serve Your Disabled Population."   The annual business meeting and announcement of the READS Award for Excellence will also take place.  8:30am- 3pm, Friday October 24th.

Print or download a brochure here: http://www.nhlibrarians.org/reads/programs/READS.fall08.flyer.pdf

Categories: Conferences , Events , READS

Posted by Jon K. at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)