1. Improving Literacy Through School Libraries application now available
2. WEMA 2007 Spring Conference to be held March 25-27
3. Woman's Day library initiative underway
4. Get ready for Read Across America Day, March 2
5. Why I Love My Public Library YouTube Video
6. Website of the Week - Educator's Reference Desk
7. Calendar
1. IMPROVING LITERACY THROUGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES APPLICATION NOW AVAILABLE
The Department of Education announced that the application package for the 2007 Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (LSL) program competition is now available. Application information is available at the Department of Education's LSL page at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/applicant.html.
The notice inviting applications as published in the Federal Register can be found here (PDF): http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-2822.pdf.
Eligible applicants include local education agencies (LEAs) in which at least 20 percent of the students served are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Information on the poverty level in each district can be found at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html. Approximately $19 million will be available for funding, and an estimated 100 grants will be awarded under this competition. The deadline for applications is April 2, 2007.
Even if you registered last year, you must register again. It is important to note that applicants must submit applications electronically at http://www.grants.gov. It is vital that all applicants register early, since the registration process on Grants.gov can take from 7 to 10 days. Please note that if you are registered make sure your information is up to date. It is also necessary to send in your application at least three days before the closing date of the competition, since it can take that long to process the application.
2. WEMA 2007 SPRING CONFERENCE TO BE HELD MARCH 25-27
The Wisconsin Educational Media Association's 2007 Spring Conference will take place on March 25th - 27th at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. Early bird rates are available through February 26th. Additional information is available at http://www.wemaonline.org/ev.cf.2007.about.cfm.
WEMA is sponsoring an Author Fair with over 20 award winning children's authors and illustrators on Sunday Afternoon. CCBC and Teaching Books will also be on hand. (http://www.wemaonline.org/ev.cf.2007.authorfair.cfm)
Caldecott Award winning author and illustrator Eric Rohmann will talk during his Tuesday luncheon presentation about the language of images and how children naturally use visual storytelling to tell their own stories as well as providing listeners with some insight into his work in spotlight sessions on Monday and Tuesday. And, author Candace Fleming will demonstrate fun and effective ways children can incorporate the six traits into their own writing in one session and reveal the secrets behind her stories in another.
In addition, the 2007 WEMA Legislative Forum will provide an opportunity to talk with legislators. The 2007 Forum will be held Tuesday, March 27th at the Monona Terrace. Breakfast begins at 7:00 AM, with opening remarks by State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster at 7:30. There will be many sessions focusing on libraries including copyright issues, intellectual freedom, digital tools in libraries and much more.
3. WOMAN'S DAY LIBRARY INITIATIVE UNDERWAY
A new Woman's Day initiative asks readers to share stories on how the library helped them start their businesses. Every year, more than 500,000 entrepreneurs start new businesses in the United States. But how and where to get the resources and support it takes to succeed? The answer is @ your library.
From now until May 10th, Woman's Day magazine, in conjunction with ALA's Campaign for America's Libraries, is collecting stories on how its readers have used the library to start their small businesses.
The magazine announced the initiative in its March 6 issue, where it asks its women readers aged 18 and over to submit their stories in 700 words or less. Stories can be sent to womansday@ala.org. Four of the submissions will be featured the March 2008 issue of Woman's Day.
Librarians can promote this initiative locally by downloading sample promotional materials from the Campaign for America's Libraries' Web site at http://www.ala.org/@yourlibrary. Sample tools include a press release, newsletter copy and Web button.
Also featured in the March issue are the four winners of the "how the library changed my life" initiative. The stories include a mother who turned to the library during a bout of post-partum depression, an Indonesian immigrant who used books from her childhood public library to learn English, a mother who used the library to help find her place in a new community, and a blind writer and teacher who uses the free books-on-tape service from the Library of Congress as an everyday escape.
Woman's Day received nearly 2,000 essays in response to the call for entries, the most it has ever received in response to an initiative of this type. Later this spring, ALA will make many of these stories available through a searchable online database.
Woman's Day is a Founding Partner of The Campaign for America's Libraries, the ALA's multi-year public awareness and advocacy campaign to promote the value of libraries and librarians in the 21st century. Other Founding Partners include Dollar General, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA's Library Champions, ALA's highest level of corporate members, who support public awareness and advocacy for America's libraries.
For more information contact Megan Humphrey at mhumphrey@ala.org.
4. GET READY FOR "READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY," MARCH 2
Ten years ago, NEA started a reading revolution. From a one-day celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday to a year-round literacy campaign reaching nearly every home, school, and community, NEA's Read Across America is building a nation of readers. The tenth anniversary of Read Across America Day will be March 2, a day in which there will be lots of celebrating of the joy of reading.
Sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA) and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the day will include a red carpet reading in New York City to host a nationwide read-aloud to break the Guinness World Record.
More information is available online at http://www.nea.org/readacross/index.html.
5. WHY I LOVE MY PUBLIC LIBRARY YOUTUBE VIDEO
The New Jersey State Library has compiled a short YouTube video (1:37) of library patrons explaining why they love their public library. The video is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeQI25n8qPQ.
6. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Educator's Reference Desk -- http://www.eduref.org/ -- From the Information Institute of Syracuse, the people who created AskERIC, the Gateway to Educational Materials, and the Virtual Reference Desk, the Educator's Reference Desk brings you the resources you have come to depend on. 2,000+ lesson plans, 3,000+ links to online education information, and 200+ question archive responses. (Website courtesy of refdesk.com.)
7. CALENDAR
February 27, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Waterford
March 7, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, DePere
March 9, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development, Madison
March 13, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Rice Lake
March 25-27, 2007 - Wisconsin Educational Media Association Spring Conference, Madison
April 3, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Fond du Lac
April 12, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Fennimore
April 17-20 - Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians, Wisconsin Dells
April 18, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Mercer
April 19, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Wausau
April 26, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Sparta
May 2, 2007 - Gates Foundation "Greener Pastures" Rural Sustainability Project workshop, Eau Claire (WAPL preconference)
May 2-4, 2007 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries, Eau Claire
May 11, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, location to be announced
May 11, 2007 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
June 21-27, 2007 - American Library Association Annual Conference, Washington DC
July 13, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, location to be announced
September 14, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, location to be announced
October 12, 2007 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
October 16-19, 2007 - Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference, Green Bay
November 9, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, location to be announced
For more details about these and other meetings, see the WISDOM calendar at http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/wisdom.html and the BadgerLink and WISCAT training site at http://www.wiscat.lib.wi.us/training.html.
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For information about Channel Weekly or to submit article ideas, please contact:
Roslyn Wise, Editor, at (608) 266-6439
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn M. Wise (608) 266-6439
Last updated on 3/8/2007 9:36:25 AM
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