Last week
at the System Meeting, Andrea Abbott, the Director of the Auburn
Correctional Facility Library told a very inspiring story about library
advocacy. Many times we feel like the letter we write does no good at all;
that the legislators are not listening, but her story tells of the
opposite. I asked her to write down her experiences to share with everyone
and she did! Her encouraging story is written below. Please continue to
contact your legislators -- it really can make a difference!
Often people
feel that it doesn't matter if they write letters, or ask others to write
letters, to restore funding for a program. l would like to encourage
people to carry out these campaigns because, as a prison librarian, I have
seen them work.
Several years
ago, prison libraries were threatened by changes in regulations that would
have ended the requirement that a professional librarian be placed in
charge of the library and that the collection be continuously updated.
Without these requirements, libraries would soon degenerate into book
warehouses.
Prison
librarians were backed in their efforts to prevent this change in
regulations by the New York Library Association and many library systems,
including Finger Lakes. We got relatives, friends, anyone unfortunate
enough to sit next to us at a doctor's office, anybody we could reach to
write letters. Our patrons wrote many letters telling about how much the
prison library meant to them, including such particulars as helping them
look for work, learn life skills, and sharpen their reading abilities. At
the time, one legislator said there had never been so much response to an
issue.
The proposed
change in regulations never happened.
It is not
always true that you can't fight city hall. Win or lose, you and your
patrons will be much more conscious of the importance of libraries in
everyone's life.
-
ROBERT McLAUGHLIN, Cataloging Services
We have received a
catalog card to enter information into Dynix without a library key. The
title is Leisure Hour Literary Club by Lydia Hecht (barcode # A20504804239). Please let me know if
you recognize the title. In addition, I need to have more information about
it besides just the title, author and publication date.
Note to all
member libraries: Please remember to provide
as much information about a book as possible when submitting titles for
addition to the database. There is a standard form available for your use;
if you don’t have any, let me know and I’ll send you a supply.
Summer Reading ~ King Graphics Orders
This is the last call for King Graphics orders. Orders for magnets and buttons ($.26
each, in increments of 10) are due to me TODAY! Thus far, I have 2 small orders. If you want these for summer reading, please let me know now!!!
ANN GIBSON SCHOLARSHIP
Calling all future
youth services librarians! It is time to apply for the Ann Gibson
Scholarship. This scholarship is a $1,000 award given annually by the Youth
Services Section of the New York Library Association to honor the memory of
Ann Gibson, a storyteller, librarian, and teacher who touched the lives of
many.
If you are currently
enrolled in an MLS program, have completed at least 18 credit hours, and are
directing your studies toward youth services in a public or school library,
don’t delay! The deadline for applying for the scholarship is May 31, 2003. For an
application and full qualification information, email or send your name and
address to:
Cindy Rasely
Scholarship Chair
607-778-6456; crasely@co.broome.ny.us
Average
Book Prices for 2003
School Library Journal
has published their annual review of average book prices.
Hardcover (children’s
and YA titles)
Average price
(all titles): $19.18
Preschool to
grade 4: $17.45
Grade 5 and up
(fiction): $16.77
Grade 5 and up
(nonfiction): $22.99
Paperback (children’s
and YA titles)
Trade
paperbacks (excluding mass market): $18.13*
Hardcover (adult
titles)
Fiction
(excluding special editions, etc): $25.83*
Nonfiction
(incl. single vol. reference): $76.87**
Paperback (adult
titles)
Fiction:
$17.16*
Nonfiction
(incl. reference): $39.34**
*2002 prices; **2001
prices.
For more
information, please visit
http://slj.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA279496&display=searchResults.