Electronic Information Resources - 603-271-2143

A brand new New Hampshire State Library website is now available at http://www.nh.gov/nhsl. The homepage will feature library news about and from across the State. There is a Quick Links box to jump to often used sections. The information is divided into Resources and Services for different audiences. There is both a "Site Map" and new "Search This Site" feature that will be added soon. Please take a look and send any suggestions to Bobbi Slossar bslossar@library.state.nh.us.

Participating New Hampshire Public Libraries will launch a digital audio book collection in September allowing cardholders from participating libraries to download audio books from the Internet, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Users can listen to a wide range of fiction and nonfiction books on portable devices, CD players, or on their PCs and laptops.

The following libraries have joined the New Hampshire Downloadable Audio Book Program and will be providing their patrons with access to downloadable audio books:
Amherst Town Library; Baker Free Library, Bow; Bedford Public Library; Dover Public Library;
Dunbarton Public Library; Goffstown Public Library; Hills Memorial Library, Hudson; Hollis Social Library; Hooksett Public Library, Hooksett; Howe Library, Hanover; Josiah Carpenter Library, Pittsfield; Keene Public Library; Kelley Library, Salem; Lee Public Library; Manchester City Library; Merrimack Public Library; Nashua Public Library; New Ipswich Library; Portsmouth Public Library; Tucker Free Library, Henniker; Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford; Whipple Free Library, New Boston; Wilton Public & Gregg Free Library, Wilton.

42 New Hampshire libraries were awarded $27,600 as part of the Gates Staying Connected Technical Support Grant.

The Gates Staying Connected Technical Support Grant, administered by the New Hampshire State Library, assists in providing basic and advanced technical assistance and support for public library staff so that public access computing will be improved and new technology sustained.

The Grant provides funds to support the following areas of technical support:

• Assistance in writing a three year technology plan
• Assistance in writing a financial plan to support public access computing or assistance in planning designing and implementing a network
• Assistance to contract with a vendor for on-call technical support or to contract with a vendor to implement a technology plan
• Assistance with configuring your patron authentication for the NH Downloadable Audio Book program.

The libraries that received grant funds are:

Library Development Services - 603-271-2865 (Concord) - 1-800-462-1726 (Lancaster)

There will be a Children's Book Review at the state library in Concord from September 14 through September 20 (excluding Saturday and Sunday) from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm each day. Librarians are invited to come and preview new titles in picture books and children's and young adult fiction and nonfiction. All librarians will receive some free books following the book review. No formal presentations are held; librarians can attend the Review at a time that's convenient for them. For more information, contact Ann Hoey at 271-2865 or ahoey@library.state.nh.us.

The NH State Library is pleased to announce the addition of a number of new online courses available to the members of WebJunction New Hampshire. As with the other offerings, these are all paid for by NHSL, and are at no cost to the members. The most exciting new courses are a series of Library Science courses coming from the University of North Texas.

Go to the "Learning Center tab at http://nh.webjunction.org

The new courses include:

Library Services to Persons with Disabilities - 603-271-1498 - 1-800-491-4200

Check out the website www.ATinNH.org, and browse through the contents for the beginnings of a web resource for everything assistive technology in New Hampshire. Can’t find what you are looking for? Let them know and they will address your needs. ATinNH.org is brought to you by the New Hampshire Assistive Technology Partnership, an initiative funded by the Assistive Technology Act. NHATP is housed at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability. If you would like to know more please send an e-mail to sonke.dornblut@unh.edu.

As reported in the Nashua Telegraph last week, a new resource will be introduced this fall in New Hampshire. "Stepping Stones: A New Hampshire Guidebook for People with Disabilities, their Families and the Professionals Who Support Them" will be a free annual publication. Parenting New Hampshire will publish a magazine with the sponsorship and support of the New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council. The magazine will focus on first-hand success stories and "how to" articles that give practical guidance on how people with disabilities can succeed in becoming contributing members of society. There will also be a corresponding website up and running along with the debut of "Stepping Stones." To request a copy or copies of the magazine when it is printed this fall, contact Jennifer Copp, Parenting New Hampshire at 624-1442, ext. 154, or send an e-mail to jcopp@parentingnh.com.

Reference and Information Services - 603-271-2144

The State Library has made progress in inventorying and reorganizing the Book Bag collection following this spring's flood. The process is not complete, but has progressed to the point that we will allow libraries to submit requests for Book Bag reservations as of Sept. 5th. We have not updated our online or print lists yet regarding lost titles, but if you contact us we can review our ongoing inventory of titles. We will do our best to fulfill requests for books that we still own in a timely manner. I ask that you submit requests several weeks in advance of your book discussion. We will need the time to ensure that we do have the title and are able to locate it at the not-quite-organized Last Copy Center building.

Please be patient while we continue to reorganize the Book Bag collection and update our records. If you want to make a reservation contact Ruby Matott in Circulation at the State Library (271-2616).