In early October, Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith (seen below) drew Bishop’s name as the grand-prize winner. She was randomly selected from eligible contestants across the country and Puerto Rico who correctly answered a series of baseball trivia questions.

As the 2009 winner of Step Up to the Plate @ your library Bishop, a frequent library user from Chambersburg, Pa., traveled with her family to Cooperstown, N.Y. for the Hall of Fame’s 13th Annual World Series Gala on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Gala featured a live broadcast of Game 3 of the 105th World Series, between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies in the Hall of Fame’s Grandstand Theater.

“The best part was watching the game at the Hall of Fame with other fans,” said Bishop, who sported Phillies player Ryan Howard’s jersey for the occasion. “It was like being there.”

Bishop also received a tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame and library.

Each year librarians at the Baseball Hall of Fame work to generate a series of questions for Step Up to the Plate that test library users’ information literacy skills.

Read more about the Bishops’visit in the Chambersburg Public Opinion, Chambersburg’s local newspaper.

Contributed by Megan McFarlane, Coordinator, Campaign for America’s Libraries

Photo courtesy of the Chambersburg Public Opinion

CHICAGO - Hundreds of libraries of all types across the country and abroad will participate in ALA’s second annual National Gaming Day @ your library this Saturday.

More than 900 libraries have registered for National Gaming Day 2009. Here are a few examples of National Gaming Day activities:

The Pima County (Ariz.) Public Library is inviting teens to show off their Wii skills on National Gaming Day. The Beatles RockBand game is expected to be a huge hit with the entire family. Kids and adults will be belting out their favorite fab four tunes.

The Black River Falls (Wis.) Public Library will celebrate National Gaming Day with special gaming programs for the entire family. Families will be encouraged to play all kinds of board, card and video games.

Anderson (Ind.) Public Library will devote the entire day to gaming activities. In recognition of National Gaming Day, the library will host a nationwide public library Rock Band 2 Tournament (on the Xbox 360) and a Dungeons and Dragons workshop.

Libraries interested in promoting National Gaming Day @ your library 2009 are encouraged to visit the National Gaming Day Web site, at http://ngd.ala.org/. Tools to promote National Gaming Day including press releases, tips and a National Gaming Day toolkit are available on the Web site.

Already participating? Share your library’s story with us, by sending it to atyourlibrary@ala.org.

ALA’s National Gaming Day focuses on the social and recreational side of gaming. Gaming at the library encourages patrons of all ages to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. At the library, kids can socialize with their friends and play board and video games while surrounded by books, librarians and a real world of knowledge.

The popularity of gaming in libraries was shown by the turnout at the second-annual Open Gaming Night, held at this year’s ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Here is a video with highlights from that event.

McNamee in particular emphasizes the importance of telling stories.

An op-ed written by then-ALA President Jim Rettig and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey appeared in the Sun-Times prior to the Annual Conference.

Contributed by Steve Zalusky, manager of communications, ALA Public Information Office

U.S. libraries of all types are invited to apply for a $3,000 grant that will be awarded to the best public awareness campaign that promotes the theme “Communities thrive @ your library” during National Library Week (April 11-17, 2010). The 2010 grant application is an electronic form, which can be accessed from the Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week Web site at www.ala.org/nlwgrant. Guidelines are also available on the Web site.

Also, check out past winners to get ideas:

-2009: Moline Public Library

-2008: The Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County

-2007: Minoa Elementary School Library

In September 2009, representatives of the Worthington Public Libraries worked in collaboration with five Franklin County area libraries (Columbus Metropolitan Library, Grandview Heights Public Library, Upper Arlington Public Library (in photo above), Westerville Public Library and Worthington Libraries) to create “Job Help Day @ your library.”

In addition to “Job Help Day @ your library,” each of the five participating libraries have purchased resume writing software and other job search tools, which are available daily in each of the libraries’ job help centers.

On “Job Help Day @ your library,” held on Sept. 24, 2009, all five systems offered a series of job-related workshops. The free programs included one-on-one meetings with resume writing consultants and classes on interview techniques.

“We created programs that worked best for the communities we serve,” said Kristin Shelley, deputy director of the Old Worthington Library.

Over the course of the day libraries helped more than 900 hundred people, with more than 270 visiting the Worthington system. Governmental and non-profit agencies donating their services to the libraries included Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation (COWIC), Jewish Family Services and Ohio State University’s Career Exploration Office.

Each library promoted its programs in such local newspapers as the Columbus Dispatch and on area television stations.

Feedback from the public was extremely positive. Many library users asked when the libraries will be offering the program again. The five original libraries, along with two new ones, are currently planning on hosting another “Job Help Day” in February.

Here is an article by by Ruth McNeil, community relations manager – Upper Arlington Public Library, on Job Help Day @ your library.

The Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible by ALA’s Library Champions, corporations and foundations that advocate the importance of the library in American society.

Libraries looking to promote their services during the economic downturn are encouraged to check out American Library Association’s (ALA) Tough Economy toolkit. The toolkit is available through ALA’s Office for Library Advocacy.

The American Library Association’s Public Information Office (PIO) worked closely with YALSA to support this year’s Teen Read Week publicity efforts. Media outreach resulted in hundreds of placements with, among others, WCBS-FM, Vocalo.org, Los Angeles Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Tacoma News Tribune, Auburn Citizen and the Mankato Free Press.

Highlights included YALSA announcing the 2009 Teens’ Top Ten, a booklist chosen entirely by and for teens, in which teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. John Green’s “Paper Towns”came in atop the list, ahead of many other favorites. World Wrestling Entertainment Divas Brie Bella and Nikki Bella announced the winners, with a special appearance from Green, in a Webcast that can be viewed at www.ala.org/teenstopten.

Since its inception in 1998, Teen Read Week (www.ala.org/teenread), sponsored by YALSA, a division of the American Library Association (ALA) has encouraged teens to visit their public and school libraries to select their own reading material and read for the fun of it.

For more information on Teen Read Week, please visit www.ala.org/teenread or contact Jennifer Petersen at (312) 280-5043, jpetersen@ala.org.

The American Library Association (ALA) will provide a free live webcast of its Youth Media Awards, a national announcement of the top books and media for children and young adults, on Jan. 18, at 7:45 a.m. EST. The award announcements are made as part of the ALA Midwinter Meeting, which will bring together librarians, publishers, authors and guests to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from Jan. 15 to 19.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for children and young adults. This year’s announcement includes 18 awards including the Coretta Scott King Book Awards; John Newbery Medal; Michael L. Printz Award; Schneider Family Book Award; and the Randolph Caldecott Medal.

Unikron, a streaming content provider, will host the ALA Youth Media Awards Webcast. The number of available connections for the Webcast is limited and the broadcast is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online visitors can view the live Webcast the morning of the announcements by going to http://alawebcast.unikron.com. Those interested in following the action live should bookmark the URL.

The ALA will instantly announce presentation results using Twitter. Members can view live updates on the ALA Youth Media Awards press kit and via tweets at http://twitter.com/ALAyma. Members can also follow live updates via the Youth Media Awards RSS and the ALA Youth Media Awards Facebook page.

The press release announcing all ALA Youth Media Award recipients will be posted in the Youth Media Awards Press Kit at http://www.ala.org/yma prior to 9:30 a.m. EST.

A National Gaming Day @ your library publicity toolkit is now available at “http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/mediapresscenter/presskits/ngd09/ngd09mtk.cfm” to help libraries promote their gaming programs and events to the media. The Web toolkit includes downloadable artwork, customizable postcards, a sample press release, a sample letter to the editor and much more.

To learn more about National Gaming Day @ your library please visit http://ilovelibraries.org/gaming.

Contributed by Macey Morales, manager, media relations, ALA Public Information Office

On Saturday, Oct. 3, more than 100 events will be held on this national volunteer day of reading, writing and learning in support of literacy and education. Libraries will join schools, Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs in taking part in the inaugural event.

Events will include author read-alouds, storybook scavenger hunts, Pictionary and Scrabble tournaments, as well as creative writing, crossword puzzles, riddles, hangman and sentence work, all to support the love of reading and learning.

The American Library Association (ALA) has signed on as a sponsor of Make It Matter Day, with ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries providing promotional support “The ALA supports Reader’s Digest in its commitment to literacy and education, which matter to the librarians who help foster the literacy skills Americans need to participate fully in a global information society,” said ALA President Camila Alire.

Earlier this year, the editors at Reader’s Digest asked its community of 37 million Americans to identify the cause that mattered most to them. The pre-selected causes were hunger, literacy & education, environment, supporting military families, human rights, violence, rebuilding New Orleans, health & wellness, and children & youth. The winning cause was literacy and education. For more information go to http://www.readersdigest.com/makeitmatterday.

“Literacy is at the core of our country’s success,” said Peggy Northrop, Editor-in-Chief of Reader’s Digest. “We are excited to be rallying people to support such an important cause and in the coming years we will focus on other causes that matter to our community.”

Through its Web site, Reader’s Digest offers a number of resources, including a literacy directory that highlights key literacy issues, a book-club resource that provides valuable advice on running a book club, reading resources, online book clubs, and reading group guides.

Reader’s Digest magazine, (http://www.readersdigest.com), the world’s most widely read magazine, is published in 21 languages and reaches 70 million readers worldwide.

To learn more, listen to the following podcast.

<BGSOUND src="http://pio.ala.org/visibility/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/make-it-matter-day1.mp3">

There was something unexpected at this year’s Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.: libraries.

The Decatur-based Rolling Prairie Library System designed its Farm Progress Show booth with the theme “Think outside the barn @ your library” to promote the value of librarians, libraries and their services to the residents of agricultural communities.

Rolling Prairie originally created “Think outside the barn @ your library,” which uses the Campaign for America’s Libraries’ “@ your library” brand, for the 2007 Farm Progress Show. The “Think our side the barn” logo has appeared on banners, yard signs, coffee mugs, post-it notes and the staff’s polo shirts.

Check out photos from the show on ALA’s Flicker page.

“The theme catches people’s eye,” said Bev Obert, executive director of the Rolling Prairie Library System, who is seen here in a recent video. “We use it as an opportunity to get people talking about their libraries, how they use their libraries.”

Catching people’s eye is the key. The Farm Progress Show is the nation’s largest agricultural show, with an annual attendance of 300,000 people from 20 states and 10 countries. For the Rolling Prairie staff and its volunteers, it’s the perfect time to talk about the importance of rural and small libraries.

The booth offered visitors the opportunity select a book to take home with them from the literal ton of books that were donated from Rolling Prairie’s member libraries. Each book was emblazoned with the message, “A gift form your Illinois library.”

“We wanted it to be generic,” said Obert. “We wanted to get people thinking about not just Rolling Prairie, but their library, and what their library means to them.”

While people browsed the stack, Obert and her staff talked with people, reminding them about what the library has to offer them. The booth proved so popular in previous years that visitors specifically looked for it this year.

Rolling Prairie has participated in five Farm Progress Shows with the goal of raising awareness for rural and small libraries across the country and helping those libraries do the same. Obert and her staff have taken the show on the road, leading “Think outside the barn” presentations at last year’s Illinois Library Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago and at last week’s Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Rolling Prairie has also lent its signage to area libraries during Agricultural Week, Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week and for local fairs.

“The campaign has remained fresh,” says Obert. “We plan on using it for many years to come.”

Contributed by Megan McFarlane, Campaign for America’s Libraries

Observed since 1982, Banned Books Week is an annual event sponsored by ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). It celebrates the freedom to read and reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.

This year’s celebration will kick off on Sept. 26 with a “Read-Out!” event at historic Bughouse Square on Chicago’s North Side. Authors will perform readings from their banned or “challenged” books and will sign copies of their works.

Online resources are available to help local libraries publicize Banned Books Week activities. Free downloads, display ideas, activity ideas, PSA scripts, a letter to the editor and a proclamation are available at www.ala.org/bbooks. Posters, bookmarks, buttons and a BBW resource guide are available for purchase.

For more information on Banned Books Week or the Read-Out! event, please visit this site or contact Jennifer Petersen at (312) 280-5043, jpetersen@ala.org.

Contributed by Jennifer Petersen, Public Relations Coordinator, ALA Public Information Office

Like last year, library users are invited to nominate a librarian in a school, public, college, community college or university library. Up to 10 winners will receive $5,000, a plaque and a travel stipend to New York for an awards reception hosted by The New York Times in December.

Last year, nearly 3,200 nominations were received for the award. To learn more about last year’s winners, visit this page on the award’s Web site.

Although librarians are not eligible to submit nominations, you can promote the award locally to encourage your library users to do so. Tools - including a sample flyer, logos, web badge and press release - are available for free download.

Visit this page to view highlights from last year’s award ceremony.

Submitted by Megan Humphrey, Manager, The Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Ten libraries in 10 states from New York to Alaska received $5,000 grants as part of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Libraries, Literacy and Gaming initiative, funded by the Verizon Foundation.

The winners, representing a broad spectrum of libraries – seven public, two school and one academic – will use the funds to develop and implement gaming and literacy programs that provide innovative gaming experiences for youths 10-18 years of age. The 10 libraries were selected out of 390 that applied for the grant.

Among the libraries chosen was the Indian Trails Public Library of Wheeling, Ill.

In this video, we visit the library and talk with library officials about how they heard about and obtained the grant, as well as their plans for using it.

The Libraries, Literacy and Gaming initiative is generously funded by the Verizon Foundation and managed by ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services. Dr. Scott Nicholson, an associate professor in the School of Information Studies, Syracuse University, is the evaluation specialist.

Hefner’s appearance as the Opening General Session speaker was one of the highlights of the 2009 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago.

An ardent defender of First Amendment rights, Hefner created the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards in 1979 to honor individuals who have contributed significantly to the vital effort to protect and enhance those rights for Americans. In 1993, the Playboy Foundation established the Freedom of Expression Award at the Sundance Film Festival to honor those documentary films that best educate the public on issues of social concern.

Hefner also visited with American Libraries, which produced the following video. In this video, she remembers the late Judith Krug, the longtime director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

In this video interview, Maguire speaks about libraries and their meaning in his life.

According to Harper Collins Publishers, Gregory Maguire received his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Tufts University. His work as a consultant in creative writing for children has taken him to speaking engagements across the United States and abroad. He is a founder and codirector of Children’s Literature New England, Incorporated, a non-profit educational charity established in 1987. The author of numerous books for children, Mr. Maguire is also a contributor to Am I Blue?: Coming Out From the Silence, a collection of short stories for gay and lesbian teenagers.

The extensive coverage continued on Friday with an interview with author Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball great Jackie Robinson, on the ABC 7 morning show. Robinson appeared at the conference, participating in a program focusing on the feats of Negro League players. “Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Experience,” hosted by the ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries and Public Programs Office (PPO).

ALA President Jim Rettig was a guest on WBBM-FM’s “Chicago Connection.”

ALA President-Elect Camila Alire was featured on WGN Radio’s The Nick Digilio Show.”

National Public Radio did a story on Sunday on the Library Book Card Drill Team Championship.

Chicago’s CLTV, aired a feature, “Libraries Build Communities,” on Friday.

Several articles appeared in both the library and the mainstream press, including:
ALA 2009: Despite Downturn, Attendance Solid, on Pace for Record

ALA Conference 2009: Librarians are the Spine Connecting Authors

Meet a hardboiled Chicago columnist

ALA Conference 2009: Even with Democratic Control in DC, Libraries …

ALA Conference 2009: At Low-Key Opening General Session, Christie Hefner…

ALA Conference 2009: Science in the Library

ALA Conference 2009: Charging Disabled Attendees Daily Scooter Fees

Lauren Barack

April Kelly on Chicago Book Tour with Gratitude at Work

ALA Conference 2009: Best Books for Young Adults List to Get the Axe

Chicago plays host to nation’s library leaders as library use soars

ALA Conference 2009: Registration Neck and Neck with Chicago 2005

Annual Library Conference in Chicago

Librarians in town, recession on the agenda

Annual library conference to be held in Chicago

Latino Authors and Illustrators Honored for Outstanding Works in …

Text a Librarian at ALA Annual

ALA Nonfiction Book Blast–Lisa Rondinelli Albert joins panel to …

The annual ALA Conference approaches

On Monday, July 6, the Chicago Sun-Times published an op-ed written by ALA President Jim Rettig and Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey, “In Web age, libraries as important as ever.”

Much of the focus of subsequent coverage was on the surge in library use in today’s recession, which was mentioned in an Associated Press story carried in the Chicago Tribune.

WBBM radio interviewed ALA President Jim Rettig, who said he was struck by two things. “The dramatic increase in use of libraries across the country as the recession has deepened, and the other is, as tax revenues have shrunk the threat the funding for libraries - even though we’re offering these vital services at a time when people need them more than ever.”

In addition, the conference has received coverage in the Spanish-language press.

On Thursday, Rettig appeared on “The Noon Show” on WGN radio with news anchor Steve Bertrand.

Beginning by noting that 25,000 librarians were descending on Chicago, Bertrand asked Rettig what constituted a typical librarian, Rettig replied that the typical librarian has earned a master’s degree and has “an incredible commitment” to connecting people with information they can use in their lives.

When Bertrand asked what librarians do for fun, Rettig said a number of them will probably be visiting Wrigley Field.

Bertrand then touched on some of the speakers who will be featured at this year’s conference, noting that he plans to interview Neil Gaiman.

Rettig was then asked about a statement he had made about librarians being on the front lines in today’s economic crisis. Rettig described the role of librarians as “first responders,” providing free Internet access, books and CDs. He also noted that libraries provide small businesses with free access to databases for which people would normally have to pay a fee. These databases, he emphasized, could be accessed online at home by the user.

Bertrand touched on funding, which Rettig said was “becoming more tenuous,” especially with the drop in home values and the resulting decline in revenue from real estate taxes.

Rettig talked about school librarians, saying they “lay the foundation for lifelong learning,” serving people from infancy through their entire lifespan.

He also noted that school libraries are places where teachers and librarians collaborate and students learn how to collaborate with each other.

On the subject of book challenges, Rettig said, “It never wanes. There are always people who think they know better than others what they should read.” He also noted that very few challenges are actually successful.

Rettig pointed out that it’s the young adult authors who are most subject to challenges. These books are important to youths, he said, because they often help them solve personal problems.

An allusion was made to the upcoming appearance of Judy Blume at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Freedom to Read Foundation.

Bertrand said he kind of likes it when people challenge books, saying it forces people to confront issues and often acts as a cohesive force for the community.

Rettig, however, said it can be a polarizing force in the community, bringing up the recent attempt to ban books in West Bend, Wis. He said, though, that Mark Twain loved it when his books were banned because it boosted sales.

“The important thing is that everybody has the right to read what he or she chooses,” Rettig said, adding that while parents have the right to choose what their children read, they don’t have that right for other people’s children.

On July 6, this important op-ed appeared in the online edition of the Chicago Sun Times by Mary Dempsey, commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, and ALA President Jim Rettig. Please share it with your lists and anyone who you feel should read this important message about the value of libraries.

In Web age, libraries as important as ever

July 6, 2009

BY MARY DEMPSEY AND JIM RETTIG

A century ago, legendary urban planner Daniel Burnham, in the “Plan of Chicago,” recognized the public library as a vital civic institution. The plan called for a central library building in the heart of the city, alongside such cultural beacons as the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum.

One hundred years later as more than 20,000 librarians and library supporters arrive in Chicago for the Annual Conference of the American Library Association July 9-15 libraries remain among the city’s treasured institutions. In fact, libraries in Chicago and nationwide are playing a highly visible, vital role in American life as the recession drags on and people look for sources of free, effective help in a time of crisis.

Library loans at the Chicago Public Library increased 26 percent in 2008 and have already experienced a 40 percent increase in the first half of 2009. People visit the library to research new careers, scan online job listings, create resumes, set up e-mail accounts to apply for jobs and seek financial advice. America’s libraries have been first responders to the nation’s economic crisis.

At a time when Americans are relying less on their credit cards, library-card use is climbing. More Americans hold library cards today than at any time in history. The Chicago Public Library hosted more than 12 million visitors in 2008 and is on target to exceed that number this year. Americans recognize the value of their library cards a key that unlocks the door to knowledge, learning and even entertainment, a balm for the spirit in hard times.

According to the ALA’s 2009 “State of America’s Libraries” report, 76 percent of Americans visited their public library in the past year, compared with 65 percent two years ago. Polls indicate that a substantial number of people visit their libraries to borrow CDs, DVDs and computer software or take advantage of free Internet access. They don’t even have to visit the library physically; they can access information not available on the free Web, download materials, or reserve books online or, at many libraries, send an instant message to get their questions answered.

Chicago’s public library is also doing its part to help residents avoid potholes in the long road to economic recovery. Several branches host programs on using e-mail to help in the job search, as well as programs on starting a small business and even one on getting good deals on everything from having one’s hair done and buying shoes to pre-movie dinner options. The Chicago Public Library offers free passes to 12 of Chicago’s other cultural institutions.

Library users include Richard, who lost his job after an injury at work and was eager to learn about computers while depending on his disability checks. He has been working with the Chicago Public Library’s CyberNavigators, people hired by the library with funds from its foundation to assist people in using the Internet.

A CyberNavigator also helped a job seeker who had been unemployed for three years after retiring from his 35-year job with the U.S. Postal Service. They helped him update his resume, set up an e-mail account, post his resume online and e-mail potential employers.

Every library in the Chicago area, indeed, every library in the country, has similar stories. Libraries are helping America’s workers return to work.

But even as thousands of people rediscover the value of their local library, libraries face the same economic challenges as the rest of the country. From coast to coast, shrinking budgets have forced libraries to eliminate proven library programs and cut staff. While Chicago has continued to support its library, many library systems have been forced to reduce hours or even close branches.

As Chicago celebrates the centennial of the “Plan of Chicago,” it is clear that libraries remain an essential community resource, especially during these challenging economic times. But they require the financial commitment of their communities in order to fulfill their mission to meet the intellectual, cultural and educational needs of the people they serve.

Mary Dempsey is the commissioner of the Chicago Public Library. Jim Rettig is the president of the American Library Association, based in Chicago.

suntimes.com Member of the Sun-Times News Group

To see op-ed on the Web, please visit: http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/1653032,CST-EDT-open06.article

Recently, the PIO also worked with NBC’s “Today” show on a segment entitled “Libraries lend a hand in tough times,” which ran on June 11, and encouraged other NBC affiliates to run the story. The segment highlights the increase in public library use and the role libraries play in helping American’s find work. It can be viewed at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31237988#31237988.

Other stories include the following: NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News on Dec. 31 and Feb. 2, CNN as it appeared on Los Angeles’s KCAL-TV, National Public Radio (NPR), Chicago Sun Times, Washington Post, Parade Magazine, Huffington Post and The New York Times blog Freakonomics,

The PIO also has developed tools to help librarians publicize the surge in visits in their communities. Press releases, talking points and an FAQ can be found in the “Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit” at http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/index.cfm

Mark Gould, Director, Public Information Office, ALA

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“Pride and Passion: The African American Baseball Experience.” On Saturday, July 11, a panel discussion hosted by the ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries and Public Programs Office (PPO).will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon at McCormick Place, room W-192B.

The program features Lawrence R. Hogan, author of “Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball”; author Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson; Coretta Scott King Book Award winner Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of “We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball”; Susan Brandehoff of ALA’s Public Program Office and others.

PR Forum: Delivering your key messages effectively through traditional and non traditional media. From 8 to 10 a.m., Sunday, July 12, in McCormick Place West room W-192B, a panel will address how to communicate effectively with multi-cultural audiences, reach audiences through social media, deliver library messages through radio and effectively use letters to the editor and op-eds.

Speakers include Tom McNamee, editorial page editor, Chicago Sun Times; Dave Baum, Chicago broadcaster and media trainer; Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, creative director/president, Metropolitan Group; Kevin Kirkpatrick, executive vice president, Metropolitan Group; George Eberhart, editor, American Libraries Direct; and Megan Humphrey, manager, Campaign for America’s Libraries.

The program is sponsored by the PR Assembly of the ALA Public Awareness Committee in cooperation with the ALA Public Information Office’s Campaign for America’s Libraries.

Media training: How to communicate effectively with the media and win. Legendary Chicago broadcaster Dave Baum returns Sunday afternoon to offer his popular media relations training session, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., at McCormick Place West in room W-194B. Baum will provide tips on how librarians can effectively deliver their key messages and garner favorable media coverage. Baum has trained dozens of ALA presidents and division president-elects since 2000.

The Campaign for America’s Libraries is ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions.

For more information, contact John Amundsen at jamundsen@ala.org

Contributed by Mark Gould, Director, ALA Public Information Office

This year, Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) joined forces to become an expanded division of ALA.

In this audio interview, Sally Gardner Reed, the executive director of the new organization, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), which is based in Philadelphia, talks about the new division and its potential.

Contributed by Mark Gould, Director, and Steve Zalusky, Manager of Communications, ALA Public Information Office