The Texas Library Association is proud to announce its own homepage is up and running on the World Wide Web; to access, go to http://www.txla.org. Now it's easier than ever to reach the Texas library community by linking to this latest method of telecommunications. The following are just a few of the items you will soon find on TLA's homepage:
By the year 2000, Texas is expected to be a state in which "minorities" make up the majority of the population. By the year 2010, Texas will rank third largest, tying with California, among all states in terms of minority youth as a percentage of its youth population. The extent of demographic change, and the speed with which it is happening, challenges every kind of library striving to meet the information needs of its customers. Harold L. Hodgkinson, director of the Center for Demographic Policy, Institute for Educational Leadership, is a nationally recognized demographer. Hodgkinson will address population trends in the United States, with a particular focus on Texas, and will provide data vital for the development of library service plans through to the next century.
The road forward for libraries is becoming clear. The World Wide Web is home to a growing community of highly competitive information producers and users. As Congress works on new national telecommunications and copyright policies, our work has just begun. Now is the time to evaluate progress, to consolidate gains, and to move ahead. Learn how libraries are shaping the global information community with noted information strategist Paul Evan Peters, who is executive director of the Coalition for Networked Information.
Libraries have always been places of discovery where children are encouraged to explore and develop a life- long love of reading and learning. In our technological age, the tools we use for discovery are becoming more important than the treasures to be found, yet the path of discovery can and should continue to travel through libraries. Newbery Award-winning children's author Virginia Hamilton shares her inspiring thoughts about how those who love words and books can shape the next generation.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science will be the setting for the Welcome Party on Tuesday, April 23. From ancient dinosaur skeletons to futuristic space vehicles, the museum has something for everyone. See authentic dinosaur relics, including the 70 foot long skeleton of a 140 million year old Diplodocus dinosaur and a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull. Learn more about the customs and traditions of the first Americans in an intriguing display of cultural artifacts from North, Central, and South America. Marvel at the $6 million, world class Sams Collection of Gems and Minerals, housed in a striking mine-like setting that is totally dark except for the light of the glittering cases. Visit Discovery Place, where you can touch and experience the properties of light, sound waves, and magnetism. Attendees can purchase tickets to the Wortham IMAX Theatre, which features the world's most sophisticated projection system and a screen six stories tall and 80 feet wide. TLA bus service will be provided.
The President's Reception on Wednesday, April 24 will be held at the beautiful Wortham Theatre Center. The centerpiece of Houston's theater district and one of the world's finest performance facilities, the Wortham Theatre is a fitting setting for this festive event. Award- winning author Lionel G. Garcia will be on hand to read from his acclaimed novels about life in his native South Texas brush country. San Antonio poet, storyteller, and author Naomi Shihab Nye will share her tales linking people across the generations. Rounding out the program is noted Houston poet, essayist, and author Rosellen Brown, whose most recent book, Before and After, has been made into a film starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson. Magicians, musicians, dancers, jugglers, and other entertainers will add to the merriment.
Party goers will also have the opportunity to shop for a good cause at the Silent Auction, which will benefit the TALL Texans Leadership Development Program. Items for bid will be located in Hall C of the convention center and then moved to the Wortham Theatre, where bidding will conclude during the President's Reception.
Here's your chance to leave the technical world behind and be transported back to Ancient Egypt at Magic Island for dinner, a magic show, and dancing on Thursday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m. From the land of the Nile, there comes to the realm of Houston, a legacy of magic...the mystical legacy of ancient Egypt to Aladdin's Lamp...of the Wizard Merlin to the Maestro Houdini. The elegant decor will surround and enchant you while you are being mystified and entertained by some of the greatest magicians, illusionists, and performers in the world. The finest in elegant dining for the most demanding of connoisseurs awaits you with a cocktail reception and King Tut's Gourmet Buffet. The cost for this entertainment and dinner is $42.
The Conference Program Committee will offer a session entitled Linking Spiritual Fiction and Libraries: A Match Made in Heaven on Thursday, April 25, from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. Phyllis Tickle, religion editor from Publisher's Weekly and author, will present an overview of the spiritual fiction market, forecast trends in the market, and help libraries with collection development. Noted spiritual fiction authors Brock and Bodie Thoene and Linda Rae Rao will discuss their works, describe their target audiences, and preview future publishings. All authors will be available to autograph books in the Authors Area directly after the program until noon.
Would you like some hands-on, user-friendly information on the Internet, retro conversion, or de- mystifying MARC and other topics? Then come to the first ever Net Fair on Wednesday, April 24, and interact with the experts and your peers. Microcomputer workstations with Internet access will be at each of the small table sessions. Attendees may select from one to four sessions.
Nancy Buchanan - Coordinator of Electronic Resources at the University of Houston Libraries, University of Houston: Designing World Wide Webs - Collecting and Arranging Information for Patron and Staff Use.
Zary M. Shafa - Associate Director of Technical Services, University of Dallas: What Does a Director of a Small Library Need to Know to Reduce Automation Anxiety?
Anne Strommer - Coordinator, Automated Library Services, North Harris Montgomery Community College District: Ins and Outs, Ups and Downs of a Multitype, Multi-Site Consortium.
William J. Stuivenga - Reference and Electronic Resources Librarian, Southern Methodist University: Basic Internet Principles.
Betty Thompson - Library Computer Specialist, Taylor Public Library: Getting the Small Public Library "Hooked Up" to the Internet and What do You do When You Get There?
Lou A. Caldwell - Chief of Central Services, Houston Public Library: A Web Page For the Houston Public Library via Hypertext, from Scratch and How the Internet Will Help the Patron and Reference Librarian.
Jeanette Mosey - Head Librarian, Technical Services and Automation, Austin Community College: Understanding/De-mystifying the MARC Format and Sources of MARC Data Other Than OCLC.
Mary Lynn Rice-Lively - Academic Assistant to the Dean, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, The University of Texas at Austin: Making Sense Out of Electronic Non-sense.
Sandy Sharps - Library Automation and Technology Specialist, Plano Independent School District: Retrospective Conversion for Automating School Libraries and Centralized Processing for Decentralized School Libraries.
Carol Mann Simpson - Facilitator of Library Technology, Mesquite Independent School District: New Solutions to Censoring or Filtering the Internet.
Attending the Texas Library Association's Professional Rights, Responsibilities, and Recruitment Committee's annual conference program, How to Find the Best Candidates for Your Library, is important for your library. Librarians will discover effective and sometimes unique searching and hiring techniques to ensure success in striving for that perfect fit, with an eye toward diversity. The techniques also encompass enhancing an organization's appeal to candidates. Panelists are from a "Head Hunting" firm as well as School, Special, Academic, and Public libraries:
This program will be held on Wednesday, April 24, at 10:00 a.m. A question and answer period and refreshments will follow the presentation.
Many public librarians are encountering considerable resistance to plans to build new facilities or to expand existing structures, as officials question the need. Why? "Well, because in 20 years we won't need library buildings...Everything will be on computers." At least that's how the argument is stated. But the library response has been "largely ineffectual," according to Bill Watson, State Librarian of Wisconsin. Much has been written about the "virtual library," but who is right about the demise of the book, the personal computer of the early 2000's, digitizing of collections...and library buildings?
Sort fact from fiction with Library Buildings in the Era of the Virtual Library, an all-day preconference co- sponsored by the Public Libraries Division and the Texas Municipal Library Directors' Association, Tuesday, April 23, at the Hyatt. Presenters are: William J. Wilson, State Librarian of Wisconsin; Ethel E. Himmel, Principal Partner, Himmel and Wilson, Library Consultants; and Richard L. Waters, Principal Consultant, Providence Associates, Inc. This knowledgeable team will present three powerful arguments for new and improved library buildings as the virtual era unfolds. For more information, fax request to Jeff Rippel, PLD vice-chair, at 806/767-2830. Preconference cost will be a virtual $75 per person.
Ten Texas schools selected to represent Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) readers were announced recently by the Texas Library Association. Each school will choose a student to participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Award presentation at the TBA luncheon on Thursday, April 25. Schools representing the ten library regions across the state are:
The call is out for volunteers to assist with the Texas Bluebonnet Award booth during the TLA Conference in Houston. Librarians willing to donate an hour or more of booth service are asked to contact Annette Nall, TBA Coordinator, 2011 Third Avenue, Canyon, TX 79015; 806/655-3959. Volunteer duties will include helping Carolyn Reynolds, TBA/TLA staff member, in selling promotional items and in registration of schools wishing to sign up as 1996-97 TBA participants.
Public, school, and children's librarians lost a friend with the death of Christina B. Woll on January 26, 1996. As coordinator of the Texas Bluebonnet Award, and through her other professional activities, Christina was well known to scores of librarians and book publishers across the state and nation. She served as coordinator for Library Services for El Paso ISD for 20 years and after her retirement was active in a number of library and civic endeavors. She was nearing the completion of her second term as coordinator of the Texas Bluebonnet Award at the time of her death. She also served as a selector of Social Sciences materials for the Elementary School Library Collection, published by Brodart.
In the Texas Library Association, Mrs. Woll served as a member of the Executive Board, chair of the Texas Association of School Librarians, chair of District 6, chair of the Publications Committee, and on numerous other committees. She also served as President of the Texas Association of School Library Administrators and President of the Border-Regional Library Association.
In addition, Christina served in an advisory capacity on a number of committees and boards, including the Library Systems Act Advisory Board, the planning committees for both Texas/White House Conferences, the Advisory Council for the Texas Center for the Book, and the Texas Education Agency Educational Improvement Advisory Council.
The Christina B. Woll Memorial Fund has been set up for the purpose of endowing grants to libraries for the purchase of children's books. The principal of the fund will be built through contributions by interested groups and individuals. If the fund reaches the amount required to become an endowed fund of the Association, interest from the fund will become available to fund these grants. In the event that the fund does not become an endowment, monies collected will be completely distributed through grants to libraries to purchase children's books at a time designated by the TLA Executive Board.
This fund will be administered by the TLA Executive Board. Applications for grants from the fund will be considered by a review committee to be appointed by the President of TLA. The committee will advertise the grants and set a deadline for applications. Recipients of the grants will furnish to TLA a report detailing expenditures of the funds, accompanied by supporting documentation, such as invoices. Special bookplates will be furnished for the books purchased through the grants. The dollar amount of the grant(s) and the number of grants to be awarded will be determined by the Executive Board prior to advertisement for applications.
Persons wishing to donate to the Woll Memorial Fund should make checks payable to the Texas Library Association and include a note designating the donation for the Woll fund.
The 1996 TLA Annual Conference material is on its way to all members in the TLA membership database. All booklets were mailed from the Austin post office on February 12 by non-profit bulk mail, so please allow adequate time for this mailing to reach you.
A special `early bird' pre-registration rate is available to individuals who have paid their 1996 dues prior to, or in conjunction with, their conference pre-registration, and to all non-TLA members whose pre-registration is postmarked by April 3, 1996. The pre-registration form is located on page 61 on the conference booklet. In order to expedite processing at the TLA Office, registrants are asked to remove their personalized mailing label from the booklet and place it in the area indicated on the pre-registration form.
In addition to VISA and MasterCard, TLA also accepts American Express and Discover/Novus credit cards.
The Texas/Mexico Relations sub-committee of the College and University Libraries Division (CULD) has made arrangements via Sanborn Tours, Inc. for Texas librarians to tour libraries in Monterrey, Mexico, this spring. Departing from McAllen on Sunday, May 19 and returning Wednesday, May 23, the trip will include tours of the three major academic libraries in the city, as well as a variety of social and cultural offerings. The four day/three night package includes round-trip motorcoach transportation, deluxe hotel accommodations, transportation to all sites in Monterrey, some meals, and more. The cost of the trip is $199 per person, based on double occupancy, and does not include transportation from traveller's home to McAllen. For reservations or more information contact Larry at Sanborn Tours at 800/395-8482 and ask for the PAL#5 tour. The TLA contact for this tour is Sue Sappington at the University of Texas - Pan American: 210/381- 2759 or e-mail to sues@panam.edu.
The above-described tour to Monterrey, Mexico has been arranged by the Texas/Mexico
Relations subcommittee of the College and University Libraries Division (CULD)
of the Texas Library Association (TLA). Neither TLA or CULD is acting as an
agent for those participating in the tour with respect to transportation, hotels,
food service, or other activity which is a part of or incidental to the tour.
TLA assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity
in connection with the service of any airplane, train, automobile, motor coach,
carriage or any other conveyance used in carrying out the tour. TLA accepts
no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes
in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, acts of
God or other such causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne
by the tour passenger. The liability and responsibility of the tour operator,
Sanborn Tours, 2015 South 10th Street, McAllen, TX 78503, is stated elsewhere
in this material. TLA has no responsibility for acceptance of funds for tour
participation or refunds which may be available. Baggage is at the owner's risk
entirely. It is understood that the air tickets when issued shall constitute
the sole contract between the passenger and the air company concerned. The airlines
concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during
the time the passengers are not on board their plane or conveyance. The responsibility
for acceptance or rejection of an application by an individual seeking to participate
in the tour is solely that of Sanborn Tours.
On March 25, 1996, Incarnate Word College will become The University
of the Incarnate Word.
TLA
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Copyright 1996 by Texas Library Association