Volume 24, No. 1 · February 2005
 Published by the Texas Library Association

RALLY for Texas Libraries


Funding for Texas libraries was $30 million less in 2004 than 2002, and the impact of those cuts has been devastating to communities and schools across the state. In an unprecedented move, from 4-5 pm on April 6, the entire TLA Conference will shut down so that, in record numbers, we can stand united at the State Capitol and send this message to lawmakers: 

 Libraries are an investment that works, and library funding must be restored!

 High-profile library supporters will address the Rally, including Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith, author Carmen Lomas Garza, and American Library Association President Carol A. Brey-Casiano. In addition, newspaper editors from around the state have been invited to attend the Rally as honored guests and will be seated on the dais with the Rally speakers.

In keeping with the spirit of the day, librarians will play against type. We will NOT be quiet. The Rally will begin with a performance by the group Drum Café to set the tone for a spirited and inspiring event. For centuries, drumming has been used to communicate, celebrate, and prepare for battle. One hundred drummers will be recruited from among attendees to begin beating the drum for Texas libraries.

This unique event is a must-attend for all conference participants. It will be fun, and your energy and presence will help deliver our message. So, stroll up Congress Avenue, enjoying the multitude of shops available; take one of the conference buses to the Capitol; or march purposefully from the convention center to that granite structure at the top of the avenue. The choice is yours but, by all means, ATTEND. We will provide signs for everyone and banners. Let’s make library history together!

Whew! If that doesn’t get you charged up about the first conference in Austin in almost 40 years, just take a look at all the programs, authors, speakers, and events!
 

  

Also in this Issue

Take a Chance on Art!
 Conference
RAFFLE

illustration by Susan Jeffers

An opaque  watercolor and ink study for My Pony (Hyperion 2003) by author and illustrator Susan Jeffers will be raffled to benefit the Texas Library Disaster Relief Fund. Tickets will be sold at conference or may be printed and mailed with payment to TLA. Visit TLA's Itsy Bitsy Gallery for details.

Austin Does Conference


TLA has assembled a conference experience like none other. National broadcaster and political commentator Cokie Roberts is the First General Session Speaker (Wednesday, April 6, 8:30 am). We will have a special treat for you that morning as singer Sara Hickman kicks off the opening session from 8:00 - 8:30 am. Author and comedienne Bertice Berry will speak during the Second General Session on Thursday afternoon at 4 pm. Of course, you won’t want to miss “the Fonz” – actor and producer Henry Winkler – at the closing luncheon. Other featured speakers include Latina narrative artist Carmen Lomas Garza, MAD Magazine editor Joe Raiola, and author Barbara Taylor Bradford.

 Conference planners have crafted a deep and rich continuing education experience for you. With almost 300 programs and events, you will have a hard time choosing what to attend.

Activities

Does Austin know how to party? The entire Bob Bullock History Museum is ours for Tuesday night’s Welcome Party (April 5), and the stars will be shining bright. Rediscover your Texas roots! And, of course, no visit to Austin would be complete without a stroll down 6th Street. We’ve made it easy for you. Wednesday night’s President’s Party will be a Capital-city extravaganza with Austin’s most notorious avenue recreated at the Hilton.  From live music to great food, tattoo parlors to fortune tellers, TLA’s 6th Street will make you wonder, “Why isn’t every conference in Austin?”

 One Book, One Conference               

The second annual One Book, One Conference selection features a time traveling librarian. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger addresses the timeless themes of love, loss, passion, and the nature of commitment. Read the book and come to conference ready to discuss the work.

  


Exhibits

Over 60 new exhibitors will be at the TLA 2005 Conference in April. View all new and returning exhibitors in advance by visiting these great resources on the TLA website:

Logistics and Corrections

  • TLA preliminary programs are in the mail! Much of the program content is linked from the conference page. Now that you’ve seen the program, please let us know when you’re available to volunteer!
  • The Placement Center will be located in Exhibit Hall 5 and is open to any conference registrant. You may register online for this service. The deadline is March 25, 2005.
  • Help us plan! We need your guidance in selecting room sizes for conference programs. Please take the time to fill out the Session Preference Form when you register online for conference.
  • The number for booking flights for conference with American Airlines at a reduced rate was incorrectly listed in the Preliminary Program. The correct booking number is 8345AI.

Strong Libraries, Strong Scores

Inspired by First Lady Laura Bush’s June 2002 White House conference on school libraries, this Texas conference will inspire, inform, and incite change in the ways Texas schools use libraries to improve student achievement.

 This conference within a conference is by invitation only for school administrators and will be held on Wednesday, April 6. The conference will provide the most current research showing the connection between higher test scores and strong library programs integrated into the academic fiber of a school.

 Nationally recognized speakers will summarize the potential impact on achievement when a library program is well developed; explain findings of major studies and the implications for instruction; examine elements of successful library programs; and define a clear, practical call to action for educators to advocate for school libraries within their own spheres of influence.

 Even though school librarians will not be able to attend the administrators conference, we encourage them to take their administrators to the opening general session and to the exhibits and Rally for Texas Libraries.

Additional information on the school administrators conference is on the TLA website.

Pre-Conference Celebration

Early arrivers to the TLA annual conference are invited to an evening of readings and conversation with popular British audiobook narrator John Lee, whose travel to Austin is being sponsored by Books on Tape, a division of Random House. Sponsored by Library Partners, Inc. and the Austin Public Library Foundation, the event will be held at  7 pm on Monday, April 4, at Austin Public Library's beautiful new Carver Branch Library and Museum, 1161 Angelina, 78702, (512) 974-1010.  

Local librarians will provide transportation to the event from TLA conference hotels for anyone interested. Watch the Austin Public Library Foundation's website for registration information, or contact Laurie Mahaffey. There will be a small registration fee.

Conference attendees will also have a chance to hear John Lee (invited) on Tuesday afternoon, April 5 from 3 to 3:50 pm at the Austin Convention Center. Known for his cultured and versatile British voice, John Lee has an international reputation for his skill in creating a variety of accents, moods, and conversational pacing. His audiobooks include Absolute Friends by John Le Carre; The Coffee Trader by David Liss; Hornet Flight by John Follett; Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and others by Charles Dickens; and a number of mystery books by Martha Grimes.

Togo Leads the Pack in Bluebonnet Voting
 By Betty Carter

 During the month of January, almost 200,000 children in grades three, four, five, and six cast their votes for their favorite book in the Texas Bluebonnet Reading Program.  Togo, written and illustrated by Robert J. Blake and published by Philomel, is the clear winner, receiving almost 20% of the votes from among a pool of 20 books. 

This fictionalized version of the 1925 serum run from Anchorage to Nome introduces youngsters to Togo, the valiant leader of a dogsled team that delivers life-saving medicine to isolated diphtheria victims in Northern Alaska.  Togo offers adventure and heroism in the face of a brutal setting and under desperate circumstances, allowing armchair thrill seekers both a glimpse into a dramatic page from history as well as a heartwarming animal story.

Over 2,000 libraries across Texas support the Texas Bluebonnet Program.  Every year, librarians highlight 20 books selected to promote pleasure reading among readers ranging from eight to twelve years old. Children who have read, or heard read, five of the 20 books vote for their favorite book. Each year, the author with the most votes wins the Bluebonnet Award. Ten children selected from around the state will present the 2005 award to Robert Blake on April 7 at the Texas Library Association’s annual conference in Austin, Texas.

Books in second, third, fourth, and fifth place respectively are: George Washington’s Teeth by Deborah Chandra and illustrated by Brock Cole; My Chimp Friday by Helen Mundis; Runaway Radish by Jessica Haas; and Tippy Lemmey by Patricia McKissack.

 TLA NEWS

TLA Elections

If you joined TLA or renewed your membership for the year 2005 by February 1, you have the opportunity to vote for four members of the TLA Executive Board. This year, TLA is introducing online voting. The association has contracted with SBS (Survey & Ballot Systems, Inc.) of Minnesota to handle the 2005 electronic and mail ballot. 

In early January, SBS polled TLA members with email addresses to determine their preference for voting electronically or by mail. Those wishing to vote by mail and those with no email address on file will be sent the mail ballot in a separate mailing. Anyone who receives a printed ballot but who wants to vote online may do so by following the instructions included with the printed ballot information. The election process is secure to allow only one vote per eligible member.

Electronic voting is scheduled to "open" on February 10 and will "close" at 11:59 pm (CST) on March 22. Information on the candidates is available online and is also being included with the printed ballots.

 Executive Board Official Motions

The TLA Executive Board met in Austin on December 3-4, 2004.  Following are the motions they passed during the meeting.

  1. Approved that a continuing education needs assessment survey be distributed electronically to members and non-members with the understanding that the final report and recommendations will be presented at the membership meeting on Friday, April 8, 2005, at 1:15 pm during the TLA annual conference.

  2. Agreed to recommend to the TLA Council that the responsibilities of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee (TBAC) be separated into two committees to be called the Texas Bluebonnet Award Program Committee and the Texas Bluebonnet Award Selection Committee. At the 2005 TLA annual conference, the TLA Council will vote to implement this change, as recommended by the current TBAC. 

  3. Agreed to recommend to the TLA Council in April 2005 the approval of the suggested changes to the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee's criteria for determining eligibility of books suggested for consideration on the annual Master List. The changes involve the following:

  1. The criterion which states that the reading level should be grades 3-6 will be eliminated.

  2. The criterion stating that the content of the book must be appropriate will be changed to “The content of the book must be relevant to children in grades 3, 4, 5, or 6.”

  3. The criterion stating that ineligible categories of materials are textbooks, abridgements, and new editions of existing titles would be amended to allow the consideration of abridgements.

  1. Agreed to recommend to the TLA Council in April 2005 that the ad hoc Cultural Diversity Committee become a standing committee of the association and that the committee's charge should be as follows:
  1. To provide a forum to research, monitor, discuss, and address diversity issues and trends.
  2. To encourage and facilitate diversity in TLA leadership and leadership development.
  3. To provide recommendations and the information needed for the establishment of TLA policies, actions, and initiatives.
  4. To provide mentoring opportunities for the TLA Spectrum Scholarship recipients.
  1. Set 2005 conference registration rates.
  2. Decided not to add a $3 charge with the opt-out mechanism to the online membership form for a contribution to the Scholarship and Research Committee.
  3. Accepted two documents related to policies for restricted and unrestricted funds as representative of TLA policy. 
  4. Affirmed the continuing viability of the investment policy. 

LEAF Contributions
 Library Endowment & Advancement Fund

The Texas Library Association wishes to express our deepest appreciation to the following people for their contributions during 2004.

 

CHAMPION ($2000+)

Wayne Williams Fund
Janis Roberson

 

 PILLAR ($1000-1999)

June Berry Scholarship
Corky Wheeler

Scholarship & Research
Solina Kasten-Marquis
 (in memory of Jeannette Marquis)

 

 GUARDIAN ($500-749)

 June Berry Scholarship
Exxon-Mobil
 (in recognition of volunteer
service by Carol Bartz)

Unit Contributions
 LiFTA: Exxon-Mobil
 (in recognition of volunteer
service by Carol Bartz)

PROMOTER ($250-499)

June Berry Scholarship
Maureen Sullivan		 Unit Contributions
 District 4: Ging Wen Ni
 
MENTOR ($100-249)

 Elizabeth Crabb Fund
 Karen M. Williams

 June Berry Scholarship
 Jeanne Martinez
Jan Moltzan
Margie Saulsbury
Patricia H. Smith
Mary Jo Venetis

Scholarship & Research
 Patricia H. Smith
 (in memory of Jeannette Marquis)

Unit Contributions
 NMRT Endowment:
Suzanne Byron
 Acquisition & Collections
Development RT:
Robert E Simpson

 

 PATRON ($50-99)

Area of Greatest Need
 Mayling Barcroft
Maury Shiver
Betty O. Yarborough
 (in memory of Charles Harrell)

Hetherington Fund
 Izoro D. Kerley

June Berry Scholarship
 Linda H. Alexander
Rae Ann Hopkins Berry
Annelle Covington
Wayne & Lori Dobbs
Charlotte Fruge
A. B. & Vera Haynes
Miriam C. Patton
Elizabeth Polk
Julie A. Walker
Ruth N. Walker

Scholarship & Research
 Izoro D. Kerley
Renee V. McGrath

Unit Contributions
 Black Caucus Scholarship:
Sheila Ross Henderson

 DONOR (Up to $49)

Area of Greatest Need
 Carol Bartz
Wilson D. Snodgrass
Virginia K. Stewart
Lilyanne G. Van Allen

Christina B. Woll Fund
 Jo Ann Farmer Sanders

June Berry Scholarship Fund
 Gloria Amescua
Jan B. Andeson
Janice Boyd
Rhonda A. Davila
Catherine C. Davis
Vicky S. Dill
Carl H. Johnson
Lucinda Nelson
Cathy Park
Margaret O Paulissen
Krin Brooks Perry
Lawrence L. Richard
Robert J. Ruckreigel

 Unit Contributions
 District 4: Rosealleta Laurell

UNSPAM TLA!

Well, since you are reading our online newsletter, you are way ahead of the tech curve! Please share the following information with any colleagues who don’t seem to know what has happened to their copy of TLACast:

  • We need to have a current and correct email address for all TLA members. Otherwise, individuals won’t get any email notices of newsletters or announcements. You can update information in the Members Only section of the TLA website.
  • Once we have your email, please be sure that your network administrator “un-spams” TLA messages. Believe it or not, not all networks understand that TLA messages are not spam! That’s almost un-American (at least, un-Texan), but it happens! So please ­ – advocate to your colleagues: UNSPAM TLA. (Quite cleverly, we will also be including this message in print publications.)

 

Legislative Update

Now that both the Senate and House have formed state committees, the legislature is beginning its work crafting what will amount to thousands of bills and holding hearings on the state’s budget and other matters.

Hearings for various agencies, including the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and educational agencies, are underway. The Legislative Budget Board has recommended that funding for the Texas State Library and Archives Commission be limited to only the base budget request. Since state agencies were required to submit initial base budget requests at 95% of current levels, the initial state budget proposes to fund programs at the State Library with a 5% decrease in fiscal years 2006 and 2007. The Legislative Budget Board did not recommend funding any of the exceptional budget items requested, including those for reinstating funding for Library Systems, TexShare, and Loan Star Libraries.

TLA is also seeking support for two important school library related pieces of legislation.

  • HB 661, authored by Rep. Dan Branch (R-University Park), would allow the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to negotiate database access for public school libraries. Funding for the initiative will be sought as a rider to the Appropriations Bill (a separate measure). All school librarians are asked to email Rep. Branch’s office at (dan.branch@house.state.tx.us) and thank him for his support of libraries.
  • HB 463, authored by Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), stipulates that the Texas Education Agency must consider the provision of school library services as part of the overall assessment of a school district’s status. Please email Rep. Dutton’s office (harold.dutton@house.state.tx.us) and thank Rep. Dutton for his support of school libraries.

Passage of these two bills will be an extensive process requiring active participation at various stages from the library community. Additional information on how to support passage of these two bills will be posted through Texline.

To learn what you can do to speak out for library issues, join Texline, a free email news service that lets you know what is happening at the state legislature regarding library issues. It’s the fastest way TLA has of informing you about what is happening during the session, when decisions are reached quickly and action by library supporters must occur with only a few days warning. To subscribe, send an email to gloriam@txla.org.

To learn more about TLA’s legislative agenda, visit the Government Affairs page. Review TLA’s issue papers located in the pull down menu called “79th Legislative Session Issues.”

The single most important thing you can do is to write your state senator and representative and urge their support for library issues. Texline and our issue papers can help you make specific requests. Remember the old saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”? It’s true!

Legislative Day

Plan on attending TLA’s Legislative Day, February 15-16, 2005 in Austin. This event is designed to show Texas legislators that library concerns are important to the people of their home districts. This is our time to demonstrate that we are watching what happens in Austin and want action that improves all types of libraries. 

 This two-day event, which draws library supporters from across the state, features legislative briefing sessions for all delegates on Tuesday, February 15 at 7 pm and Wednesday, February 16 at 8 am. TLA delegate leaders will coordinate all legislative meetings.

Grants

The Governor’s Office of Budget, Planning and Policy has released information about the following grants:

For additional information, contact Denise Stines Francis at dfrancis@governor.state.tx.us.

 Improving Literacy through School Libraries

The Department of Education is now accepting applications for the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program. The application package for the 2005 competition is now available at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/applicant.html.

Approximately 19 million dollars will be available for funding, and an estimated 100 grants will be awarded under this competition.  The deadline for applications this year is March 14, 2005. Applicants must use the Department's electronic applications (e-Applications) system to apply. Go to http://e-grants.ed.gov/.  

Literacy Grants

The First Lady’s Family Literacy Initiative for Texas, a program of the Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy, has announced its 2005 grant competition. The grants of up to $25,000 each are given to help create family literacy programs by building on existing literacy programs that work with only one generation (i.e., children or adults), so that complete family literacy programs can be created. 

The grant program also funds innovative projects within existing family literacy programs, as well as replication of successful family literacy programs with new populations or in new locations. Partnerships with other community groups are strongly encouraged. Past grantees include community-based organizations, libraries, school districts, community colleges, universities, charter schools, pediatric medical clinics, Head Start and Even Start programs, as well as other organizations.

Successful family literacy programs include literacy instruction for parents or primary caregivers, reading or pre-reading activities for their children, and parent/child reading time and interactions. A successful grant application includes clearly stated objectives, along with a solid plan to measure whether or not those objectives have been achieved.

The 2005 application and guidelines are now available and can be downloaded at www.tcall.tamu.edu, or email your request to ppeebler@mcnairgrp.com.

For more information or questions about these grants, please contact Pat Peebler at ppeebler@mcnairgrp.com or phone 713/336-7889. For more information about the work of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Barbara Bush Texas Fund, go to the Foundation’s website at www.barbarabushfoundation.com.

Announcements

State Library Commissioner Appointed to IMLS

On November 20, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed seven Bush nominees to serve as members of the National Museum and Library Services Board. The 20-member board advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services and makes recommendations for the National Award for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for extraordinary public service provided by these institutions.

Sandra Pickett, commissioner and chair of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, was among those selected for the federal appointment. Ms. Pickett is the president of the Atascosita Historical Society; and, from 1974 to 1998, she served as councilwoman and mayor pro tem of the City of Liberty. She has served as chairman of the Liberty County Historical Commission and is a past director and president of Preservation Texas. Pickett served on the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities as well as the Texas Association of Regional Councils. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Chamber of Commerce 1981 Citizen of the Year, the 1993 John Ben Shepperd Leadership Award from the Texas Historical Commission, and the 1998 Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

A Nation United

Many Voices, One Nation @ your library® celebrates the diverse voices in the literature of our nation and the unifying role that libraries play in building a literate nation. This ALA initiative is a multi-faceted campaign, which will culminate in the creation of a national booklist and a nationwide celebration of reading called Many Voices, One Nation, One Night @ your library®. The event will be held on Monday, April 11, 2005 during National Library Week.

For additional information, go to www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceb/executiveboard/
breycasiano/manyvoices.htm.

TAKS Preparation Tool

The UT TeleCampus delivers online courses and degrees offered by the UT System. The program offers a free online TAKS test readiness tool that would be helpful to public and school librarians. The TRACK – TAKS Readiness and Core Knowledge tool is available at no cost. For additional information, go to: http://www.track.uttelecampus.org.

Summer Librarian Employment

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards offers summer employment for library media teachers. In addition to providing personal and professional growth via National Board certification, the National Board also offers employment opportunities for library media teachers to score these candidate responses during the summer months. For additional information, go to: http://www.nbpts.org/standards/assessors.cfm.

Names in the News

  • Katherine Brown is the new librarian in Baytown.

  • Karen Ellis is now library director for Taylor Public Library.

  • Jill Goldman has moved to New York where she will be working in a branch library in Chinatown.

  • Cindy Gray has resigned her position as director of the W. Walworth Harrison Public Library in Greenville and has accepted the position of director with the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, Indiana. 

  • Marsha Harper, former director of libraries at Abilene Christian University, received an honorary doctorate from ACU in December. 

  • Toni Lambert is the interim director for the Houston Public Library.

  • Maurice G. Leatherbury has been named the associate vice president for computing and chief technology officer at the University of North Texas.

  • Patricia Smith, TLA executive director, was voted onto the ALA Executive Board for a second term.

  • C. David Warren, the former executive director of the Richland County Public Library in Columbia (SC) is the new director of the San Antonio Public Library.

Deaths

  • Lois Catherine Bailey, formerly a librarian at Southern Methodist University, died at age 100.

  • Mary Ann Cain, former librarian at Pasadena High School, recently lost her battle with cancer.

  • Selma Nuessle, longtime head of technical services at San Antonio Public Library, has died. 

  • Donna Ruth passed away last October.

  • Past TLA President Robert Severance passed away on January 12, 2005.

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