Among
those cooking and serving gumbo samples were: Catherine Lee, Mary Ann Emerson,
Ruth Semrau, Patti Davis, Joe McCord, Jeanette Larson, Steve Brown, Carolyn
Reynolds, and James Stewart
A gumbo cookoff at TLA Annual Assembly and an online auction of artwork donated by illustrator/author Rosemary Wells have boosted the new fund created to provide relief to Texas libraries that are impacted by disasters such as fires, floods, and storms. On Sunday, July 11, the new office suite and conference area at TLA headquarters hosted a hungry crowd of more than 200 who each contributed $10 for the opportunity to sample gumbo prepared with diverse ingredients by a variety of TLA chefs. A State Government Gumbo made no secret of its low bid vegetables, while concoctions such as the Voodoo and Creole Queen gumbos offered delightfully mysterious flavors and aromas. The Grand Prix winner - determined by popular vote - was Ruth Semrau with her "Almost Louisiana Gumbo."
Among
those cooking and serving gumbo samples were: Catherine Lee, Mary Ann Emerson,
Ruth Semrau, Patti Davis, Joe McCord, Jeanette Larson, Steve Brown, Carolyn
Reynolds, and James Stewart
On August 31, a group of TLA staff members were in that same conference room visiting, eating, and watching for last minute bids as the online auction of a complete set of illustrations by Rosemary Wells for a Penguin Putnam edition of Itsy, Bitsy Spider came to a close, adding almost $5000 to the fund.
A raffle will be held this fall and winter of a cover illustration by Ms Wells for a new release of Morris's Disappearing Bag, and another complete set of book illustrations will be offered online starting October 1. This second set is for The Bear Went Over the Mountain. Visit the Itsy Bitsy Gallery for the latest information and to participate in the auction action.
The Texas Library Association Awards Committee is seeking nominees for the TLA Awards that are presented each year at annual conference. The deadline is January 6, 2000. Categories are:
Kaylene Carr is the TLA Awards Committee Chair; call the TLA office at 800/580-2852 for more information. Nomination forms are available on the TLA website: http://www.txla.org/.
In addition to the TLA Awards, there are a variety of grants, scholarships, and stipends provided by corporations and TLA units to honor outstanding programs of and service to libraries. Visit the TLA website for specific requirements, deadlines, and application forms.
Among the stipends and grants available to help defray the expenses of
annual conference attendance are: the Escue Stipend for a library paraprofessional
in the Austin/South Texas region; the Laura Edwards Memorial Stipend, awarded
through the Texas Association of School Librarians and the Children's Round
Table to a librarian involved in youth service in a public or school library;
the Public Libraries Division Conference Stipend for public library employees
who are attending their first TLA conference; the Automation and Technology
Round Table Conference Stipend for library employees who are involved in
library automation and technology services; and the New Members Round Table/Quality
Books, Inc. Professional Development Grant for a TLA member in the first
five years of a professional library career.
A newly-created opportunity from the Tocker Foundation will provide a conference
stipend to a small town public librarian from each TLA district.
Additional opportunities include the Demco Research Grant, the Christina B. Woll Grant, the Texas Reference Award, the Siddie Joe Johnson Award, the Young Adult Reading Award, TASL Scholarships, and the Small Community Librarian of the Year Award. Application deadlines cluster from December of this year through late January of 2000. A trip to the TLA website will provide you with the information you need to apply for or nominate someone else for a well-deserved honor.
While you're at the TLA homepage, remember that membership renewals will soon be due. To vote in the executive board elections early next year and to be eligible for many TLA scholarships and grants, your membership must be current.
DIG
yields DIRT Among the resolutions passed at Annual Assembly in July was a request from the Doo-Wop Interest Group to be transformed into the Doo-Wop Intergalactic Round Table. Although the group admitted to preferring "a ping pong, billiard, snooker, or poker table," they resigned themselves to accepting a round table.
When the whereas-es were finished, the Assembly delegates agreed to the Doo-Wop upgrade. The intergalactic designation in the name reflects the new round table's concern that its scope and membership not be limited. All in favor?
The next TLACast will contain a listing and content summary of the resolutions approved by the TLA Council at Annual Assembly.
Jerilynn Williams (right) presented the Doo-Wop resolution.
The Texas
Library Association graduated
during the week of May 31 June 4, 1999. Twentyfour selected participants completed a course of intensive concentration on leadership processes with the guidance of six mentors and two facilitators. The Leadership Development Institute was held in the scenic Hill Country at Harambe Oaks Ranch. Facilitators for the Institute were Maureen Sullivan and Jack Siggins, nationally recognized presenters in the area of leadership development; and corporate sponsors were Hotho & Company and Southwestern Bell.
TLA's 1999 TALL Texans Institute graduates are: Joyce Baumbach, Plano Public Library System; Allison Beechwood, Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, Amarillo; Lonnie Beene, Northeast Texas Community College, Mt. Pleasant; Mary Cissell, Texas Woman's University, Denton; Jackie Crinion, University of Texas at San Antonio; Diane Duesterhoeft, St. Mary's University, San Antonio; Camille Fiorillo, Palo Alto College, San Antonio; Sharon Gullett, Education Service Center Region 7, Kilgore; Sheila Henderson, Georgetown Public Library; Barbara Knotts, San Antonio College; Sherri Lazenby, Audelia Road Branch, Dallas Public Library; Mary Long, Wilson Middle School, Plano Independent School District; Pixey Anne Mosley, Evans Library, Texas A&M University, College Station; Tina Oswald, Steen Library, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches; Carrie Jo Parmley, John Tyler High School, Tyler; Beth Pettit, Harrison Public Library, Greenville; Elaine Plotkin, Harris County Public Library System, Houston; Norma RuizHearne, Edwards Public Library, Henrietta; Kitty Spalding, Canutillo Elementary School, Canutillo; Jill Sumpter, Ft. Bend County Libraries; Gayle Travis, McKinney Memorial Public Library, McKinney; Mary Jo Venetis, Dallas Public Library; Diane Warner, Texas Tech University Libraries, Lubbock; and Kathy Weimer, Evans Library, Texas A&M University, College Station.
The mentors for the Institute were George Huffman, Amarillo College; Tish Mulkey, Plano Independent School District; Gleniece Robinson, Fort Worth Public Library; James Stewart, Victoria Public Library; Julie Todaro, Austin Community College; and Betty Yarbrough, Euless Public Library (retired). June Kahler Berry was the project manager. Many of the TLA units generously assisted members with participation expenses and many of the employing institutions also contributed.
The seventh TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute will be held during the week of June 59, 2000. If you are interested in participating or if you know a worthy candidate, watch for nomination forms and information flyers at Fall TLA District Meetings. The nomination form and information are also available on the TLA Website. Deadline for nominations is December 2, 1999.
Hidalgo County Library System Coordinator Bill McGee (left) presented Senator Eddie Lucio with a TLA resolution of appreciation at the Hidalgo City Library on August 26th. The senator was honored for his support of public libraries during the 76th session of the Texas Legislature. Lucio sponsored two bills: one establishes a permanent fund to generate interest income for library construction and enhancement, and the other allows public libraries to become members of TexShare.
The TLA Strategic Plan is reviewed and updated every three years: the process began this year at Annual Assembly in July and concludes at Annual Assembly of 2000.
Members are being asked to identify items in the current strategic plan that their group is doing well, items that TLA is doing that benefits them individually or as part of a unit, and issues and initiatives that they would like to have added to an updated plan. The TLA District Meetings will offer an opportunity for direct input. Another way to share your ideas is by visiting the TLA website http://www.txla.org/xtra/strategic.html where a schedule for the planning process, a copy of the existing strategic plan, and a form to complete and send to TLA headquarters are available.
In December the Strategic Planning Committee and the Executive Board will draft a revised TLA Strategic Plan to be placed on the website by February 2000. Annual Conference in Houston will provide a forum for discussion of the plan, with final approval by the TLA Council expected at Annual Assembly 2000.
Peggy Rudd is the new Director and Librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Although Ms. Rudd has served as the Chief of the Bureau of Library Development at the State Library of Florida for five years, she is not a newcomer to Texas. Her background includes degrees from Stephen F. Austin University and the University of Texas at Austin, and her professional career has included positions in various regions of Texas.
Also returning to the state to assume the job of Dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Texas is Roberta Shaffer who has a library degree from Emory University and a law degree from Tulane. Her latest post was as Director of Research Information Services for the Covington & Burling law firm in Washington DC, but she has previously worked at the University of Houston Law Center.
Grace Stroud, a school librarian from Ft. Worth ISD, was chosen by the TLA Council to fill out the unexpired term of Kathy Jones as a Representative-at-Large to the Executive Board. Grace is a former member of the Texas Bluebonnet Award Committee; her term will run through annual conference of 2001.
Visit http://www.rlc.dcccd.edu/lrc/rlclib.htm to sample the handbook and handouts that helped earn Richland College (Dallas County Community College District) an EBSCO Achievement Award.
Among the recipients of the 1999 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Awards is Julie Salvato of Bellaire Elementary School in Killeen. Ms. Salvato, a member of TLA, has been teaching for five years, has learning resources certification, and has done graduate work in library science at the University of North Texas.
The Texas Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, grants the awards to teachers of history, literature, foreign languages, government, social studies, and related fields in Texas schools (K-12) in order to recognize exemplary contributions in teaching, curriculum development, and extracurricular programming. Primary emphasis is placed upon classroom activities.
Winners receive a professional development stipend and their schools receive funds to purchase instructional materials. While the awards program is in its tenth year, this is the first time a librarian has been among the recipients.
ROOPSTER
POWER The Howell family, Houston Public Library's "First Family" to receive Power Cards at the Central Library, join Roopster Roux, the slam-dunking, fun-loving chicken who is partnering with Kroger Food Stores to promote their sponsorship of the Library. The Kroger Company and Nabisco announced a reading comprehension skills contest with in-store displays and prizes. The wildly successful first year of the Houston Public Library's Power Card Challenge ended with over 204,000 juvenile cardholders, nearly doubling last year's numbers, and a 21% increase in juvenile circulation.
