Volume 27, No. 1  • February 2008

  Newsletter of the Texas Library Association

 
State of Tomorrow
Is Here Today!

The Texas Library Association is teaming up with The University of Texas System to promote the valuable research and importance of higher education to Texas students. Through the generous support from the Meadows Foundation, a DVD set of the 13-part special, State of Tomorrow, will be mailed to all middle and high schools in Texas. The set also includes a specially-created curriculum guide for each episode and promotional materials for teachers.

State of Tomorrow is a 13-episode documentary series that explores the most critical issues facing Texas today. With personal stories from cancer patients, hurricane survivors, farmers and teachers, and interviews with researchers, scientists and doctors, students can learn about people, organizations, and universities working together to identify and solve our toughest challenges. Students will also come to understand the important relationship between universities and communities and the positive impact public higher education has on our lives and to the state and nation.

State of Tomorrow aired last spring and summer on Texas PBS stations. The series received such positive reviews that organizing partners quickly saw the potential in ensuring that all Texas students had school access to the set.  As the center for resources and research, school libraries are the natural depository for this wonderful resource, and the UT System and the Meadows Foundation moved quickly to reproduce the set and create curriculum materials for school libraries.

We hope that school librarians in middle and high school work with teachers to get students familiar with the opportunities of higher education in Texas and showcase the State of Tomorrow, which represents a first such collaborative effort among the major Texas systems for higher education.

The set will be mailed by the beginning of March. We’d love to hear how this program is working for your school. Please let us know at feedback@stateoftomorrow.com. For more information about the State of Tomorrow series, go to www.stateoftomorrow.com.

 


   Also in this issue

TLA Elections
TLA elections for Executive Board candidates and officers in several units participating in online balloting will begin February 20.  Be sure to cast your vote (either by voting online or mailing your printed ballot) by March 21, 2008 (11:59 PM CST). Only members who renewed their membership by February 1, 2008 are eligible to vote.
 

What do you think are the top technology trends for Texas libraries?

Provide your feedback
by filling out the
ATRT SURVEY

 


A Sample of Some of the Episodes

Tornado Alley

On May 11, 1970, a tornado swept through Lubbock, killing 26 people, injuring more than 500 people and causing more than $500 million in property damage. In the wake of this disaster, Texas Tech University founded the Wind Science and Engineering Center to mitigate the damage from future tornados. Professors Kishor Mehta and Ernst Kiesling demonstrate the destructive power of wind and talk about how professionals are being trained to design buildings to withstand severe windstorms and minimize damage and loss of life from nature’s deadliest type of storm.

  

Skeletons in the Closet

Techniques used by forensic anthropologists to gain important information from human remains yield clues that can solve crimes. The University of North Texas in Denton has one of the most advanced forensic labs in the state, and professors from the anthropology department have contributed to helping with numerous murder cases. Specific cases that have been solved with forensic evidence are discussed by Dr. Harrell Gill-King, along with higher education’s role in the future of forensic science. The University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth and Dr. Art Eisenberg’s groundbreaking forensic work are also featured.

   Shadow of a Doubt

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has 150,000 inmates incarcerated. Even if the system is 99.9 percent accurate, this means there are still 150 innocent people in prison. Innocence clinics are being formed within public higher education institutions across the United States in the wake of scientific advancements in DNA evidence. David Dow of the University of Houston School of Law founded the Texas Innocence Project, in which law students work to determine the innocence of inmates on death row.  William P. Allison, president of the Texas Center for Actual Innocence at The University of Texas School of Law, is also featured.
 
Books, Bytes, & Beyond…


Be sure to finish up your taxes because the 2008 Texas Library Association Conference convenes in Dallas, April 15-18.  A crowd of almost 8,000 of your colleagues and friends will assemble to learn about the newest practices, technologies, and innovations — and, of course, to network and have fun!

What’s New & Keeping Great Traditions

One great innovation to this year’s conference is providing attendees with access to session handouts before conference. That’s right: TLA is going green! Instead of having thousands of handouts available onsite, we will be providing conference-goers the chance to download handouts they want before they arrive at conference. We have asked all presenters to submit their handouts to us for posting prior to conference. We’ll post everything receive by the deadline, and we’ll update the handouts after conference. So, not only will we be saving trees, we’re making it easier for you to get a taste of the various sessions before attending conference.

We will continue our landmark program for Texas school administrators, “Strong Libraries, Strong Scores,” and will also highlight sessions focusing on transforming libraries, the organizing theme of one of TLA’s ongoing and critical statewide initiatives. 

New Programs

Scaling the Future! Wednesday, 10:15 - 11:50 am: Join leaders and past presidents of the Public Library Association for an engaging, frightening, and yet affirming discussion of the challenges to public libraries past, present, and future. Explore some of the big issues in public library service and the hottest trends with three of the nation’s leading voices on public libraries. Jan Sanders, director, Pasadena Public Library (CA); Kay Runge, consultant and past president of PLA; and Beth Bingham, consultant (LA).

You Can Do It! Academic Library Advocacy from the Frontline, Wednesday, April 16, 4-5:20: Be part of the solution to the challenges academic libraries face—you can do it! This session covers how frontline academic librarians and library staff can be effective advocates for and in their academic libraries and why this grassroots movement is so critical. Tips on the power of personal persuasion will also be covered. The program will be held in conjunction with the College and University Libraries Division business meeting. Camila A. Alire, dean emerita, University of New Mexico and Colorado State University, ALA Presidential Candidate.

Advocacy, Legislation and Leadership, Time TBA. Linda Williams is passionate about the role of libraries in our society. Meet her and discuss her plans for bringing unity to librarians and inspiring action to improve the resources and standing of all types of libraries. She believes strongly in the ecosystem of the library infrastructure and describes how we can all work together for the common good. She will be presented during a meeting of the Texas Association of School Librarians. J. Linda Williams, Coordinator, Library Media Services, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, (Annapolis, MD), ALA Presidential Candidate.

Keynote Speakers and Events

This year’s talented Program Committee has also designed an impressive assembly of adult authors and is bringing a new twist to the General Sessions.  Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry and bestselling author Ridley Pearson have joined literary forces and have delighted audiences with their humor and incomparable stories. They will kick-off conference with General Session I on Wednesday, April 16. General Session II will feature Stephen Abram, Joe Janes, Karen Schneider, and Roy Tennant talking about (and actively debating) hot topics, the role of libraries, and our future.

This year’s All Conference Opening Luncheon, sponsored by the Library Friends, Trustees, and Advocates Round Table, serves up literacy champion and award-winning author Rosemary Wells, first daughter and first-time author Jenna Bush, and bestselling author Elizabeth Noble.

In addition to all the wonderful programming, conference also offers a wealth of opportunities for networking and having fun — one of the most important priorities for any library gathering.  The Local Arrangements Committee has done a fantastic job of scouting out great venues and planning terrific parties. We hope to see you all at the Welcome Party at the stunning Nasher Sculpture Garden and at the President’s All-Conference Party at Eddie Dean’s Ranch, featuring Grammy Award-winning Brave Combo.

Need information on the TLA Conference?  The Local Arrangements committee has developed a fabulous blog for your information needs concerning the TLA Conference.  Check it out at www.txlablog.org.  Here you will find all kinds of information on preconferences, programs, parking, DART, shuttles, stipends, volunteer opportunities, and much, much, more!  If you are interested in contributing to the blog contact Jennifer Strange at jennifers@plano.gov.

Awards and Book Cart Drill Competition

Of course, conference is also a time for awards and recognition. Along with TLA’s association-wide awards, units will also honor the best and brightest in their ranks. You’ll be sure to schedule time for the Third Annual Book Cart Drill Team Competition — brought to you this year with stadium seating! 

Exhibits

No TLA conference would be complete without extended visits to the TLA exhibits. Featuring the third largest library tradeshow in the country, the TLA exhibit hall offers over 450 companies showcasing all the latest technologies, tools, and materials needed to run Texas libraries.

Of course, you may want to get a head start on all your shopping.  Everything you need — vendor names, product descriptions, hall maps, and links to companies — are available at TLA’s  24/7 one stop library shop. Visit the TLA Exhibits site  and click on “Shop the Exhibits.” 

The TLA tradeshow and its online site are designed to provide you with multiple ways of finding the products you need. We created the Quick-Read-Guide which gives you a quick overview of some of the offerings. Whether you visit the TLA tradeshow online or at conference (or both), shopping exhibiting companies lets you save time and money!

DiamondLevel

Our vendors and especially our
2008 Corporate Sponsors
help make the TLA conference possible. We hope you all spend time perusing and shopping at the exhibit hall. Please do take a moment to thank our corporate partners for their support of Texas libraries.

Platinum Level

  Gold  Level
 Bound to Stay Bound
Brodart Company
Ingram Library Services
 Maximum Ride
Renaissance Learning
 

Silver level
Davidson Titles
EBSCO
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Highsmith
Librarian's Yellow Pages
 Follett Library Resources
Sentry Technology/
Library Designs
SMART Technologies

                              Bronze Level
ABC-CLIO
auto-graphics
Escue & Associates
 Garrett Book Company		 Perma-Bound
ProQuest USA
Star Book Sales
Tandem Library Books

Doo Wop Sock Hop: Kickin' It Up a Notch!
 8 pm - midnight at The Pearl (corner of Pearl & Commerce)
 The "hands-down best music venue in Dallas"

The Doo Wop Intergalactic Round Table invites all conference-goers to kick up their heels and kick up conference a notch!  Come dance the evening away with old and new friends to the live tunes of Kenny and the Kasuals at the hottest trend-free night spot in Dallas.  Like the Kinks? The Beatles?  Sinatra? The Stones? The Doors? The Kasuals have something for everyone!  You can pre-purchase tickets when you preregister.

Placement Center — Bigger, Better, Sooner, Everywhere!

You all are familiar with the TLA conference service for matching employers with potential employees.  As in the past, individuals and employers can continue to submit resumés and job postings to the Placement Center. 

This year, beginning April 1, 2008, a new interactive feature will allow employers and seekers to communicate with each other in advance so that interviews can be set up prior to arriving at the conference.   As long as you are registered for the conference, and the system has been activated, you will be able to access the Placement Center information anywhere you have Internet connectivity.  Registration is currently open, so don't let this opportunity get away from you to take advantage of the new and improved Placement Center! 

TLA Golf Event

Enjoy the great spring weather by playing golf during the TLA Conference. The annual TPALS golf event will be held Tuesday afternoon April 15.  This event is open to everyone.  All attendees, their guests, vendors, everyone can join in the fun!  The ladies will even have their own special prizes!  Beginner or avid golfers will all have a great time playing the 4 person scramble format.  You do not have to have a group. 

The event starts at 1:30 pm and will be over around 6:00 pm.  Check in time is 1:00 pm. The course is located just 20 minutes away from the Convention Center so everyone can return in time to enjoy any evening activities downtown.

Go to http://www.txla.org/conference/forms/golf.pdf for a registration form. Put together your own team or enter for yourself and we will place you on a good team.  For any additional information please contact the tournament coordinator Jay Blint at jblint@bwibooks.com or 800-888-448 ext 6303.

Important Conference Logistics

Discount for Online Registration: The TLA 2008  Conference online preregistration form is now active and can be easily accessed: MEMBERS  •  NON-Members

TLA is offering discounted registration rates to members who take advantage of the online preregistration process.  Because electronic preregistration saves time and labor for staff, we want to pass on those savings to our attendees.  The deadline for the discount is March 25, 2008, and is available only to registrants who preregister online and pay with a credit card.  

Don’t Get Turned Away by the “Room Too Full” Sign: In order for staff to assign the appropriate size meeting room for each function, please complete the Session Preference form when you preregister.  The Session Preference Form can be completed online or can be submitted by fax or mail.  This information is invaluable for knowing how many attendees plan to attend each session and helps reduce the possibility of meeting rooms overflowing.   

Hotel Rooms Are Still Available: Have you made your housing reservations for TLA 2008?  Even though the housing has been active since April of 2006, rooms are periodically added to the blocks, and there are still conference hotels available from which you can choose.   For more information, access the housing form on the TLA website or contact Ambassadors by sending an email to tla@ambassadors.com or by calling 1-800-243-1205 for assistance. We encourage you to use the "waitlist" feature offered by Ambassadors for the hotel of your choice.  They have always been able to accommodate each of the folks who have waitlisted.  

Be on the Lookout for Your 2008 Conference Printed Program: The 2008 conference programs are scheduled to be mailed next week in early February to all TLA members.  Please note that we will be printing only one conference program which will include all presentation abstracts, speaker information, and photos, etc.  Please make sure you bring your program with you to conference since the publication that will be distributed onsite will be a pocket-size version that will only contain the name of the event, and the day, time, and location for each function.  Conference program details are available on the TLA conference site.

Airport Transportation Discount

Yellow Checker Shuttle is offering discount airport transportation (from either DFW or Love Field) for attendance to the 2008 Texas Library Association Conference. Click on the button at righ to learn about several transportation options, including Airport Shuttle web-tickets at $13 each way (a saving of $12 roundtrip); exclusive (private non-stop) van service for up to 10 passengers at $85 each way; and Airport Lincoln Town Car Service Web tickets at $74 each way.

An online reservation qualifies you for discounts from your city of origin through Go Airport Shuttle.com. Once the online reservation is made for your DFW transportation, the system will automatically make these discounts if available.

Transforming Texas Libraries


A Call for a Statewide Vision
 For several months now, the Texas Library Association and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission have been working to lay the groundwork for a statewide grassroots planning process. Through this planning process, the library community will look at what libraries of all types — school, public, and academic — should be doing in the coming years. What are essential services? How can we best support education and economic development? And, our goal is to develop this vision and action plan with the support of stakeholders outside of library circles. We have invited the participation of representatives from diverse groups — state agencies, museums, school administrators, and government representatives — to help us understand the public’s expectation for libraries in the next decade.

Summit Overview
 Transforming Texas Libraries, a two-day event that took place on December 3 and 4, 2007, served as the kick-off event for our visioning and planning process.  The summit was designed to have participants (over 100 individuals from libraries and various stakeholder groups) work together over the course of two days to come up with recommendations in key areas.

Draft Report
 The Visioning Task Force is now starting work on a draft report, which is accessible online.  We will also hold a discussion forum at the TLA Annual Conference in April.  Additionally, summit work group notes are also available.

Texas Library Polls
 As part of the Transforming Texas Libraries initiative, TLA will contract with a professional polling company to gather statewide public input on Texas libraries. The two basic goals of the survey are: 1) to assess public support for libraries (with a focus on evaluating the priority of libraries for the purpose of support from governing bodies and identifying key areas of need) and 2) to articulate the value of libraries.  

The Brown Foundation of Houston has awarded TLA a generous grant to help cover the cost of professional polling.  We expect the polls to be undertaken in late spring. The data from the surveys will help the Visioning Task Force complete its report as well as provide information for policy planning over the coming years.

Legislation and Policy Update
ALA Advocacy Institute  (preconference)
Tuesday, April 15, 1 – 5 pm
 Become an effective library advocate and develop an action plan to use in your community or campus. Carol Brey-Casiano, director of libraries, El Paso Public Library; Gloria Meraz, director of communications, Texas Library Association; and Marci Merola, advocacy officer, American Library Association (Chicago, IL).

Public School Library Study

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the Texas Education Agency were directed by the 80th legislature to conduct a study to identify the needs of public school libraries. To accomplish this mandate, agency staff and a steering committee appointed by the agencies will conduct a survey, disseminate information, invite comment, and circulate a draft report to the statewide school and library community. Your feedback through this process would be most appreciated and helpful!

Please take the survey now! Go to: Survey of the Needs of Texas Public School Libraries. The survey will be available through February 29, 2008. Please use our online form to post comments you have about the needs of public school libraries and this study and to view feedback. Comments may also be sent directly to steering committee members and staff. For additional information, go to the library survey site at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/schoolneeds/index.html. 

We need everyone to respond! The State Library will hold a special forum on the study during TLA’s Annual Conference on Friday, April 18, from 10 am to noon.

Students Testify Before State Committee on K-12 Databases

Anna Gomez and Samip Sheth, junior high students from Travis Vanguard Academy in Dallas ISD, wowed members of the House Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance at a hearing in Austin held February 7.  The Committee met that day to hear invited testimony on the use of technology in the classroom and the uses of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Technology Allotment.

The K-12 database program, for which the library community rallied hard last session, was funding at $5 million over the biennium, with the funding coming from the Technology Allotment. TEA was directed to work with the State Library and Archives Commission to fund the program. The result of the two-year program has been restored statewide database access for all Texas public schools.

Librarian Susi Grissom and technology specialist Linda French of Travis Vanguard Academy prepared a demo for the committee, wherein the students would conduct searches on both Britannica and Ebsco resources for the committee. The questions of the day: Why is March 2, 1836 important?

The kids handled their testimony like olds pros and captivated the committee. Knowing that Chairman Dan Branch (who sponsored the initial rider for the funding) was a history buff, the kids searched research and primary documents. The members of the committee expressed their support for the program, and we hope that this hearing proves a successful first step in continued and expanded funding.

The library community owes a debt of gratitude to the extraordinary work of Grissom and French for preparing the demo. And, if Anna and Samip are any indication of the generation to come, we are in intelligent and confident hands.

Request for AG’s Opinion on PL Districts

The State Library recently requested an opinion from the Attorney General on the following questions related to legally established library districts:

  1. Is the authority granted in Local Government Code, Chapter 336, sufficient to enable Library Districts to assess and collect ad valorem taxes on property within the boundary of the district to provide revenue for the district, or is a constitutional amendment required to grant such authority?

  2. Can the Lead Governmental Entity (Sec. 336.021), the county or municipality that by resolution creates a Library District, collect ad valorem taxes on behalf of the Library District and disburse those taxes tot the Library District under existing authority or is a constitutional amendment required to grant this specific authority?

The Texas Library Association filed a brief in support of the position that the existing statutory authority is sufficient. The AG will likely make a ruling by mid-summer.

TLA Unit News

TBA Winner!
Texas Students Choose Their Favorite

Lucy Nolan’s book Down Girl and Sit: On the Road is the winner of the 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award with 19,248 votes. The Ghost’s Grave by Kehert with 15,830 votes and Bauer’s The Blue Ghost with 15,738 were neck and neck for second and third place. The number of students who “got out the vote” this year was 151,107!

Nolan will be honored at the annual Texas Bluebonnet Award luncheon, April 17, at the TLA Annual Conference. Ten students from across the state will join forces to describe the book and present the award. The TBA recognition is one of the highest honors a children’s book author can receive.

CULD Needs You

The College and University Libraries Division (CULD) of the Texas Library Association needs you!  Whether you are joining TLA for the first time or renewing your membership, CULD welcomes you to join us for an opportunity to participate in CULD sponsored activities and promote the interests of libraries in public and private universities, colleges, and community colleges throughout the state of Texas.  Here are some of the activities CULD participates in that might be of interest to you.

  • CULD provides strong professional networks at the local and regional level to confront challenges including, but not limited to, the rising cost of online databases and print materials and the promotion of technology literacy. 

  • CULD supports leadership opportunities for academic librarians by contributing an annual donation to financially assist TLA members participating in the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute with their travel expenses.

  • The CULD legislative committee lobbies to identify areas where TLA legislative efforts can further interests of Texas academic librarians and libraries, and recently it has worked to expand state support for online resources.

  • The CULD scholarship committee awards a yearly academic scholarship to a qualified individual who is enrolled as a graduate student at a Texas ALA-accredited library education program and plans to focus on a career as an academic librarian in a college or university setting. 

  • The CULD Community and Junior College Discussion Group meets at annual conference, elects their own slate of officers to lead the group, and participates in programs tailored to community and junior college services.

  • CULD annual conference programs have been very successful.  CULD partnered a 2007 pre-conference with the Digital Libraries Interest Group, Automation and Technology Round Table, and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to provide conference programming on a current topic of interest “Establishing an Institutional Repository: A LITA Regional Institute.”

To learn more about CULD, visit the unit webpage, contact Linda Bixler, CULD Chair, at lbixler@mail.twu.edu or Kim Wiley, Information and Membership Committee, at kim.wiley@lamar.edu.  We hope you will join us!
TSLAC News


Statewide Resource Sharing Summit

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) will host a strategic summit on February 27 and 28 to discuss the future of statewide resource sharing. The purpose of this summit is to bring together representatives of all stakeholder groups to develop strategies to plan for the future of resource sharing in Texas.

 The State Library will make available reports of the summit. For additional information, check out the summit website. .

Connecting to Collections

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), the Texas Historical Commission (THC), the Texas Library Association, and three additional partners a $40,000 Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning grant to establish processes and develop resources in order to assess the collection care needs of libraries, archives, museums, and other institutions across the state.

Texas is home to more than 700 public, academic, and special libraries; over 600 museums of history, art, science, and natural history; and innumerable historical and genealogical societies; corporate, government, and special archives; and other cultural heritage institutions.

The six partners in this project, which also include Amigos Library Services, the Texas Association of Museums, and the Kilgarlin Center for Preservation of the Cultural Record at The University of Texas at Austin's School of Information, will share information about these institutions to form a single database of libraries, archives, government agencies, and museums in the state that can be used to coordinate disaster management and preservation efforts.

Connecting to Collections, a program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is a multi-year, multi-faceted national initiative to raise public awareness about the collections that tell the story of America's diverse heritage.

TexTreasures Grants

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has announced that it will award TexTreasures Grants in SFY 2009. TexTreasures is a grant program designed to help TexShare member libraries make special or unique local collections more accessible to researchers across Texas and beyond.  Projects may include such activities as cataloging, indexing, and digitizing materials.

Approximately $100,000 is available for TexTreasures Grants, subject to approval by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.  Applications of all sizes are encouraged, not to exceed $20,000 for an individual library project or $25,000 for a collaborative project. 

The deadline for applications is March 14, 2008.  Projects will begin September 1, 2008 and end August 31, 2009. The TexShare Texas Collections Working Group is the peer review panel for the grant. To find out more about the grant program and the application process, see the TexShare website.
Library News


Big Read Finds Home at Weatherford

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded Parker County partners — Weatherford College, Weatherford ISD, the City of Weatherford Public Library, and the Doss Heritage and Culture Center — a Big Read grant. The focus of the project is a celebration of one of 16 classic novels from January-June 2008. The NEA launched the Big Read nationally in 2007 in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

TMLDA

The Texas Municipal Library Directors Association (TMLDA) invites you to join for 2008.  You can save time and postage by joining online with a credit card at www.tmlda.org/duesrenewal.html.   An instant confirmation will be sent to you for your records.  

By your commitment to TMLDA, you strengthen the ability of your Association to meet your informational needs and represent your interests.

Remember, too, that membership is now open to library directors, assistant directors, department heads, county librarians and system coordinators.  Some of the benefits you get from being a TMLDA member are:

  • A forum to get together and share common concerns;
  • Participation in the TML legislative process, a critical arena for Texas libraries;
  • A program at the Texas Municipal League's (TML) Annual Conference held in the fall;
  • Eligible to apply for Achievement of Excellence in Library’s Award; and,
  • Reduced subscription rates for TML's monthly magazine Texas Town & City, and/or the Texas City Officials Directory and Buyer's Guide. 

For more information about TMLDA, visit www.tmlda.org.  If you have any questions regarding your renewal, please send an email to: KMcGeath@ci.southlake.tx.us.  

TBF Fiction Writing Contest for Young Adults

The Texas Book Festival and the University Interscholastic League are sponsoring the 7th Annual Fiction Writing Contest. Texas junior high and high school students are invited to submit a piece of original fiction, no more than 2,000 words in length, to be judged by Texas authors appearing at the 2008 Texas Book Festival in Austin.

Entries should focus on the theme, “Last Man Standing.”  Judges will look for excellence in the use of dialogue, character development, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Entries should be submitted as a Word document, emailed to uil@texasbookfestival.org by July 1, 2008. There is no entry fee.

Winners will be invited to receive their awards at the Festival’s opening session in the House Chamber in the Texas State Capitol the morning of Saturday, Nov. 1. For complete information and an entry form, go to: http://www.texasbookfestival.org/childrens_chapter/UIL.php.

TLA Names in the News

  • Yvonne Condron recently accepted a position with the Frisco Public Library.

  • Theodore E. Drake has retired from Tarrant County-South Campus Library.

  • Sue Haas has joined the Carrollton Public Library staff.

  • Lynne Hambric will retire on April 30 from the Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M University.

  • Anna Holzer has retired from Tarrant County College-Northwest Campus.

  • Abilene Public Library’s Dennis Miller has been elected president of the Abilene Downtown Association for the 2008 year. 

  • Joe Specht retired last May.

  • Janis C. Test of Abilene Public Library has been selected as one of a few national participants in the Public Library Association/3M Corporation Leadership Institute in March, 2008.

Deaths

  • UT’s Jo Anne Hawkins passed away February 11, 2008.

  • Kaye Elizabeth Munden, a retired librarian, died last December. She worked for the Fort Worth Public Library before settling at L. D. Bell High School in 1956.

  • Longtime library advocate Wayne Sellers passed away on November 26.

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.)

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