State Librarian, Michael York, has announced conservation grant awards to fifteen organizations totaling $70,000 funded through the Conservation License Plate Program. Also known as the "Moose Plate" program, this state-funded program, authorized by the state legislature in 1998, promotes the use and conservation of cultural resources in New Hampshire and preserves the cultural heritage that belongs to all New Hampshire citizens.

Funds were awarded for planning and implementation projects ranging in scope from preservation treatment of paper documents and photograph collections to preservation assessment surveys. Competitive proposals addressed all three components of preservation treatment, research value and public access.

In year one of this program the State Library received 35 proposals from towns, libraries, historical societies and other non-profit organizations totaling $179,000. Grants were awarded to:

• Dover Public Library, $2,735 to preserve the 1831 Cocheco Manufacturing Company Map
• Fuller Public Library, Hillsborough, $4,212 to microfilm 30 years of the Hillsborough Messenger
• Rochester Public Library, $4,809 to microfilm 16 years of the Rochester Courier
• Hillsborough Historical Society, $9,934 to archive and process the Manahan-Phelps-McCulloch photograph collection
• City of Manchester, $6,682 to restore and microfilm the Manchester Common Council records from 1856-1915
• Portsmouth Athenaeum, $9,952 to archive and process the North Church Congregational Church records from 1640-1981
• Franconia Area Heritage Council, $3,505 for preservation treatment of Luke Brooks’ Old Man of the Mountain manuscripts
• Keene Public Library, $3,910 to microfilm library trustee minutes from 1859-1999
• Amos Fortune Forum, Jaffrey, $4,360 to archive and process Amos Fortune manuscripts (1710-1831)
• Plainfield Historical Society, $3,390 to transcribe oral history tapes from 1978-2003
• Pillsbury Free Library, Warner, $630 to microfilm the Speaker and the Home Fires
• Nelson Town Archives, $2,657 to preserve and microfilm Town Records from 1785-1829
• Derry Public Library, $3,220 to conduct a preservation assessment survey materials pertaining to Alan Shepard and Robert Frost
• Town of Chichester, $6,128 to microfilm town records from 1727-1654
• Town of Peterborough, $3,743 to conserve and microfilm town records 1951-1973

With the support of Citizen's Bank, the Department of Cultural Resources has produced a 2004 calendar featuring photographs of attractive NH public buildings (many of them libraries). The calendar is $5.00 ($7.00 if it has to be mailed). The Department hopes to sell 4000 of them; $1 from each sale will go to the Old Man commemoration fund. To order calendars, call 271-7993.

The state library has applied to the Gates Foundation for a $23,000 grant to fund library computer education throughout the state. Janet Eklund recently surveyed public libraries in NH and received 55 responses; most of them requested hands-on training in upgrading and repair. If the state library receives the grant, the money will be used to provide a program to help libraries receive computer training and assistance.

As part of the new Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library project, Mary Russell and Charles Shipman are working on an extensive revision of the 1998 edition of New Hampshire Authors. They are creating an online database of New Hampshire Authors that will be searchable by several criteria, including place of birth, NH residence, and genre. The database will also include contact information for authors that are available for speaking engagements, links to websites related to the author, and citations to biographical sources containing information on the author.

For the 1998 version of New Hampshire Authors, visit www.nh.gov/nhsl/nhauthors/.

It's time for another Children's Book Review! Preview new titles in children's and young adult literature and receive one to two free books. The Review will begin at the North Country office of the state library in Lancaster and will be held at this location from Wednesday, November 12 to Friday, November 14 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. It will then move to the state library in Concord, where it will run from Tuesday, November 18 through Friday, November 21 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Also, all of the titles in the Children's Book Review can be previewed from the "Librarian's Tools" tab on the NHU-PAC.

Catherine O'Brian, of the NH State Council on the Arts, pointed out a grant opportunity for which libraries may be eligible. The Council offers "mini-grants" to various organizations for the purpose of strengthening the arts in underserved communities. Requests may be made for $250 to $1,000. Mini-grants may fund up to 50% of the project's cost or $1,000, whichever is less.

If you are looking to fund an arts-related event in your community, you may want to read about this grant and how to apply for it at: http://www.nh.gov/nharts/grantsandservices/grants/acrossprogs/minimerger.htm.

The Summer Reading Program Committee of CHILIS has announced the theme for next summer's reading program. Libraries will be encouraging kids to "Check out a Hero" and will celebrate all kinds of heroes: hometown, sports, comic, literary, and even hero sandwiches! Graphic artist Hector Diaz will create the artwork for the poster, t-shirt, reading logs, and reading certificates. Orders for summer reading materials are expected to begin in early December. Watch the CHILIS listserv for more announcements.

Special Services - (Family Resource Connection) - 1-800-298-4321

Alice Nye recently received the Early Education & Intervention Network of NH (EEIN) 2003 Recognition Award "for demonstrating outstanding leadership, advocacy, and professional performance in the field of early education and intervention."

Alice reported that the Family Resource Connection’s voicemail message would be recorded in Spanish at noon on November 3; a volunteer will monitor and translate any Spanish requests.