Black and O’Toole Bring National Scholarships to Texas
Viki Ash-Geisler

David Black and Erin O’Toole entered the MLS program at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) this fall as the respective recipients of the 1997 Bound to Stay Bound and Melcher Foundation Scholarships. The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, presents the scholarships, each valued at $6,000, to assist students planning careers as children’s librarians. Having both scholarship winners at one school is unusual; what makes David and Erin’s situation unique is that they are not only classmates, but also husband and wife.

After a purposeful examination of second career options, the couple came to Texas from Utah. David has a law degree from the University of Virginia. He worked first in private practice and later as a corporate attorney for Novell, Inc. With this background, many people assume David will become a law librarian; his "NO" is an emphatic and consistent reply. In reviewing his legal career David says the work was unsatisfying, centered on the short term, and overly concerned with the bottom line. He expects children’s librarianship to be a much more fulfilling and altruistic undertaking.

Erin has a master’s degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Utah. Realizing that the life-style associated with scientific research did not mesh with her family responsibilities, Erin engaged in a variety of volunteer opportunities working with children. She comes to the MLS program after enjoying a brief part-time page position in the children’s department at Salt Lake City Public Library. She describes her library work as a source of great joy combining her interests in family relationships, multicul-turalism, and life-long learning.

Because the decision to change careers involved resigning from jobs, selling a house, and relocating their two daughters, Erin and David methodically researched librarian-ship. They interviewed a number of practicing librarians and consistently found a high level of job satisfaction, pleasure in a diversity of daily tasks, and a strongly held commitment to service. Realizing that these were professional values they shared, the pair traded in the snow and cold winters of Utah for the heat and humidity of Texas.

David and Erin are not the first students to bring the ALSC Scholarships to TWU in recent years. Wendi Birkhead, children’s librarian at the Dallas West Branch of Dallas Public, was a Bound to Stay Bound Scholarship recipient in 1995. That same year Sarah Willis entered the mas-ter’s program on an ALSC scholar-ship. Sarah, who is now a children’s librarian at the Farmers Branch Manske Public Library, just happens to be David’s sister, and in a remarkable coincidence, Sarah’s husband, Kraig Willis, is also an MLS graduate of TWU. Although Kraig did not attend school on a ALSC scholarship, he graduated with Sarah and in 1996 entered TWU’s doctoral program while working part-time at the Watauga Public Library.

The ALSC scholarships will be awarded again in 1998. Applications for the scholarships, which are due by March 1, 1998, can be obtained by contacting the American Library Association at 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL, 60611. To be considered for the scholarships, applicants must not yet have begun an MLS program. Additionally, scholarship recipients are expected to take jobs as children’s librarians upon graduation and to remain in the field of children’s services for at least two years. TLA members have every hope that in 1998 the scholarships will return to Texas.

Librarians Host Legislator Receptions

During September and October, Texas school, public, and academic librarians held a series of highly successful receptions honoring Texas legislators who were supportive of library causes in the last legislative session.

The events were organized to pre-sent to the lawmakers a series of resolutions passed by the Texas Library Association at the annual con-ference in Fort Worth and at Annual Assembly in Austin in July.

The first of these receptions was held on September 8 at the Richard-son Public Library to honor Rep. Tony Goolsby, the sponsor of a bill to help public libraries recover long overdue library materials. The Rich-ard-son event was organized by Director Julianne Lovelace and attended by several city officials, area librarians, and Rhoda Goldberg, chair of the TLA Legislative Committee, who presented the resolution to Mr. Goolsby.

Representative Bob Hunter received a resolution for his many efforts on behalf of libraries at a reception held at the Texas Council of State University Librarians meeting in Austin, September 25. In presenting the award, Past TLA President S. Joe McCord cited Dr. Hunter’s sponsorship of the Tex- Share bill and numerous other mea-sures for Texas libraries.

Susan Mann, director of the Hills-boro City Library, organized an ele-gant reception for Senator David Sibley on September 30. A standing room only crowd watched as Ms. Mann presented the resolution, assisted by the mayor of Hillsboro. Senator Sibley spoke of the need for Internet and other information proj-ects in the rural areas of the state.

Perhaps the most elaborate and well-attended ceremony was held in Laredo for Rep. Henry Cuellar. Organized by school librarian Nellie Trust, over 100 people turned out for the October 2 event which was held at the International Bank of Commerce. In addition to the presentation of the TLA resolution by Mark Smith, TLA director of communications, several of the area schools and libraries also presented Mr. Cuellar with tokens of their appreciation for his support of libraries and education. Representative Cuellar chairs the Education Committee of the House Appropriations Committee. In remarks after receiving the award, Mr. Cuellar commented that he intended to return to Austin and fight hard once again for libraries and that he intended to "get it all this time," including funds for school library materials which Mr. Cuellar proposed, but which was not funded in the last session. The Cuellar reception was covered on two local TV stations, the Spanish language network Univision, and in the local newspaper, the Laredo Morning Times.

George Huffman, director of the Amarillo College Library, presented the TLA resolution of appreciation to Sen. Teel Bivins at a Texas Association of Community Colleges luncheon in Midland October 6. Senator Bivins was honored for his sponsorship of the TexShare bill in the Senate. Having already delivered his remarks, Senator Bivins made a point of returning to the podium to make a strong statement about the importance of libraries and of the TexShare project.

Rep. Dianne White Delisi was honored at the Temple Public Library on October 14 in a ceremony organized by Director Judy Duer and the Bell County Librarians. Representative Delisi sponsored a rider appropriating $1 million in additional funds for the TexShare library consortium. In her remarks, Representative Delisi said, "Something tells me that the world would be a better place if it was made up of librarians."

Plans are underway at the Houston Public Library to host a reception for Rep. Sylvester Turner and Sen. Rodney Ellis. Senator Ellis sponsored the Senate companion

to Representative Goolsby’s bill to recover long overdue library materials. Representative Turner sponsored a bill that restored the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund account for libraries and joined Senator Sibley in a February press conference urging the TIF Board to fund Internet connections in public libraries.

Young Adult Reading Incentive Award

The Young Adult Round Table announces a call for nominations for the Young Adult Reading Incentive Award (YARI). The purpose of the YARI award is to honor a librarian who has shown exceptional ability in motivating young adults to read by developing and implementing a reading incentive program for young adults in grades 6-12. The award consists of an engraved plaque and a stipend of $500, donated by the Texwood Furniture Corporation, to be presented at the Texas Library Association annual conference.

Nominations must be received no later than March 1, 1998. For more information on the criteria for the award and to receive an application form, please contact Gracelyn Shea, Forest Meadow Jr. High, 9373 Whitehurst, Dallas, TX, 75243; 214-503-4716.

SBEC Opens Information Center

Officials of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) have opened the SBEC Information and Support Center. The SBEC is the state agency responsible for establishing procedures for the certification of public school educators in Texas, including school librarians.

The SBEC Information and Support Center, which provides information on educator preparation, certification, and assessment, can be reached via a toll-free call to 1-888-863-5880. Information available from the center includes how to become certified; how to request an application to obtain a Texas certificate; how to receive information or registration bulletins and preparation materials for TASP, ExCET, TOPT, TASC, and TASC-ASL tests; and to learn where preparation programs are located. The center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Twentieth Anniversary for Libraries & Culture

The Winter 1997 issue (v. 32, no. 1) of Libraries & Culture marked the journal’s 20th anniversary at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at The University of Texas at Austin. A recent Library Quarterly review of the scholarly journal’s 25-year index, published in 1995, stated that the journal "is now one of the premier places to publish social and cultural history related to libraries and librarianship."

Professor Donald G. Davis has edited the journal since its transfer to Texas in 1976. Professor Davis is assisted by Dr. Bette Oliver and an editorial board composed of Robert L. Dawson, David B. Gracy II, Joan Holladay, David Hunter, Francis L. Miksa, Irene Owens, and Michael B. Winship.

The journal’s anniversary was observed by a commemorative luncheon and lecture held October 17. The lecture, "Library Revolutions Past and Present" by Kenneth Carpenter of the Harvard University Library, was sponsored by the Texas Center for the Book at the Dallas Public Library.

DPL Receives Awards from Dallas Observer

The Dallas Public Library has received two awards from the Dallas Observer in the paper’s "Best of Dallas" issue dated September 25–October 1. The library won "Best Local Government Agency" and "Best Hangout for the Computer Illiterate."

"We’re happy to receive these awards. It’s a good indication that the Dallas Public Library has a significant impact on the people of Dallas," said Ramiro Salazar, library director.

The article in the Dallas Observer that accompanied the "Best Local Government Agency" citation states, "With the new computer system, the Dallas Public Library provides faster, more efficient services than most private-sector enterprises." The article also mentions the friendliness of librarians and gives the library credit for leveling the playing field for children of various economic backgrounds.

The article accompanying "Best Hangout for the Computer Illiterate" cited DPL’s STAR Sunday program, a series of classes to teach the public how to use the Internet.