CLA Blog

by Beth Wrenn-Estes

I hope you will support me in my efforts to be elected to the California Library Association (CLA) board of directors. I want to share my leadership and organizational skills and to keep CLA a viable organization representing our member's needs. In order for the organization to weather the current economic storms in our profession a strong leadership team needs to be in place. CLA must remain responsive to the changing times if they are to keep our membership community working on common challenges and goals.

CLA has professional lobbyists representing our issues to the state legislature but even more important are the efforts to continuously work to provide training and tools to grassroots advocates throughout the state. In order for the organization to weather the current changes and economic storms in our profession a strong leadership team needs to be in place. CLA must remain responsive to the changing times if they are to keep our library community together working for common goals.

Providing quality membership services and programs is a critical area that CLA has and must continue to concentrate on. The annual conference serves as a centerpiece for quality professional development programs and networking opportunities for attendees.
CLA leadership must continue to look for the most efficient and effective ways to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization (staff). My experience in management gives me skills and knowledge to use in this area of leadership as well.

I am the new kid on the block having only moved to Northern CA from Colorado in November of 2008 but being the new kid gives me the advantage of looking at issues with "new" eyes.

I was deeply involved in my state library association in Colorado (Colorado Association of Libraries - CAL) and know the power that a state library association can have with strong leadership and solid membership base. While I was a member of CAL I served as President, Vice-President, and Past President. I was involved with the annual conference on many levels including serving as the conference Chair, Co-Chair and Program Chair on different occasions. I was the Chair of the Publications Committee for five years and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and the Chair of the Library Association's Foundation board. I hold memberships in ALA, YALSA, NCTE, CLA and the Freedom to Read Foundation.

I hope you will support me and allow me to serve the California library community through service to the CLA board. I want to help create an even stronger and sustainable organization. I want to give time and service to CLA.

Beth Wrenn-Estes
(Instructor in the School of Library and Information Science, San Jose State University)

by Dave Tyckoson

When I talk to people about the California Library Association, I am usually asked two questions:

What's in it for me?

What are they doing for us?

This type of thinking is natural - when you join an organization you expect to get something in return. The California Library Association (CLA) is no exception - and membership can be expensive, especially for those of us fortunate to be making a good salary. However, CLA is not a me/they organization, it is an us/we organization. We get out of CLA what we put into CLA. It is the collective value of all of us as representatives of all different kinds of libraries that gives CLA its organizational strength. And it is participation by librarians of all types that is essential to that success.

CLA is the one library organization in the state that represents all California libraries. It is the voice of libraries throughout the state -- public, academic, school, and special. The more libraries and types of libraries included in CLA, the better CLA can represent them - to the public, to the legislature, and to the media. In order for CLA to be successful, it needs to embrace all of the libraries and librarians in the state - including you.

You get out of CLA what you put into CLA. And CLA provides a number of opportunities for you to get involved:

Participate in CLA Snapshot Day. On October 4, libraries throughout the state will collect statistical data, stories, and images that demonstrate how they serve their communities. CLA staff will use that data to calculate the monetary value of those libraries. The more that participate, the better the data.

Attend the CLA annual conference. The 2010 conference is a joint meeting with the California School Librarians Association, providing an excellent opportunity to share and learn from our colleagues in the K-12 environment. Come to Sacramento in November!
Learn something new from the programs and exhibits at the conference.

Teach something to your colleagues at the conference - or through a webinar or a continuing education program such as the Spring Fling. Through CLA, you can share your experiences and skills with others.

Network with CLA members throughout the state. Whether on a local, regional, or statewide basis, CLA members can work together to share knowledge and influence decision makers.

Support the CLA lobbying efforts. CLA is the only library organization with dedicated lobbyists on staff, with direct connections to decision makers in state government.

Engage in the CLA Interest Groups that interest you (after all, that is the point of interest groups!). And if you don't see an Interest Group for your interest, then start a new one! The new organizational structure provides more flexibility and responsiveness to members, allowing the organization to change along with our technologies and practices.

Yes, times are tough. But it is during tough times that libraries shine the brightest. Your participation in CLA now helps to ensure that libraries are a priority for decision makers. For example, as jobs seem to have become the mantra of many of our political candidates, we need to let them know the role of libraries in the job seeking process. Libraries teach skills, provide technology, and bring job seekers and job providers together. This is just one area where libraries make a difference in the lives of members of our communities - and in the lives of potential voters.

My belief in the power of CLA is strong. So strong, that I am currently running for the office of CLA President. If elected, I would like to shape CLA as a stronger presence for all types of libraries, especially for academic libraries. However, one person cannot do it alone. It takes all of us to make CLA into the professional library organization that decision makers listen to.

Regardless of the outcome of that election, I intend to work within CLA to raise the voice of libraries throughout the state. For CLA to succeed, it needs the support and participation of all libraries and librarians in the state. To quote the famous mid-20th century philosopher Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Together, we can build a CLA that represents all of us and moves libraries forward. It is what we do together - we - that gives CLA its power. And each of us - me - needs to participate to make that happen.

by Wayne Disher

While libraries have always been a huge part of my life, and they truly
define my philosophy and outlook, they are only a part of the total package of
who I am. I thought I'd take a brief moment to sort of "fill in the gaps" and
give you all an even better picture of what makes Wayne Disher the guy he
is...and I'll try not to bore you. Okay, tidbit number one. I LOVE DOGS!!!
I have had dogs in my life since I was 4 years old, and I still have dogs
today. Well not the same dogs, but you know what I mean. I don't dress my
dogs up in silly costumes, but I do carry on fairly lengthy one-sided
conversations with them. As of yet,they have not talked back--but I keep hoping!
I always adopt my animals from the Humane Society. I'm the President of the Board of Directors of the local Humane Society, and animal welfare is another top priority of
mine. Now, before I anger the cat constituents out there, can I also say I
love cats? It's true. My current dogs just don't share my love to have cats
in the house right now.

In addition to my public Library Director job, I am an educator. I am a part-
time Faculty member of the San Jose State University School of Library and
Information Sciences. I teach both Library Management and Library Collection
Development classes. I used to meet students in classrooms, now I meet them
"virtually". At first I didn't like the format, but now when I'm online with
students from California to Dubai I start thinking it's a pretty cool way to
share information and to learn--maybe our organization can take advantage of
this too. In the process of all this teaching, I've been lucky enough to have
had two books published. They are both from a series called "A Crash Course
in....", and they are meant for new librarians --particularly in small and
rural settings--who need to learn information about a library topic and they
need to learn it quickly. My first book, "A Crash Course in Collection
Development" is a #1 Bestseller on Amazon.com (okay, it's a
#1 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Library & Information Science >
Collection Development ...but it's still a #1!). The second book, "A Crash
Course in Public Library Administration" comes out this
fall. I will keep my fingers crossed that it breaks the barrier into
the #1 in Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Library & Information
Science.

I love to travel. Even with the inconvenience of flying these days (perhaps
they should just make us all fly naked and get rid of this "take off your
shoes, your belt, your watch, your retainer...."), travel is one of the best
ways of learning about people and their culture. One of my favorite all time
trips was to Croatia. What an amazing country filled with history and beauty.
And what a resilient spirit. Even after years of shelling and killing in the
years before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Croatian people HAVE to be the
most upbeat, friendly, and likeable folks I've met in the world. I often
think about them when a staff member tells me how tired and frustrated they
are because they've spent two solid hours on a public desk. Another great
trip was to Athens, Greece. I remember getting into the airport very late at
night and seeing all these homeless dogs. There was even one camped out on
top of the baggage claim carousel. All the signs and literature around warned
me "don't pet or feed the dogs, they are dangerous".
Hmmmmmm, suffice it to say by the time I left the airport, I looked like the
Pied Piper leading dozens of hungry dogs out of the airport in a trail toward
my taxi.

Well, I hope this has given you a snippet of extraneous -- and possibly
superficial--information about me. I also hope I have given you a chuckle now
and then, because I truly believe we librarians need to laugh and smile a lot
more. As Mark Twain said, "Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The
minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.* I hope I have helped you to understand me as not only a library leader, but also as a compassionate and somewhat normal guy.

The Public Library Foundation, also known as the "PLF" became law in 1982 with the passage of SB 358 by then-Senator Jim Nielsen, who is now currently a member of the State Assembly. The legislation, which was sponsored by CLA, established a requirement that the state provide assistance to local libraries on the basis of a 10 percent state/ 90 percent local match. The funding for the PLF is distributed on a per capita basis, meaning that every library benefits equally from even the slightest increase in the program, and conversely each public library's state share is reduced proportionally in years where reductions occur at the hands of the legislature or Governor. The PLF has a so-called "maintenance of effort" (MOE) requirement, meaning that a city or county or special district library, which reduces its total local appropriation below its previous year level, is ineligible for any PLF funds. The exception to this MOE rule is the ability of libraries to request a limited waiver from the State Library for a particular fiscal year.

Back in 2008, at the direction of the CLA Executive Board and Legislative Committee, we first lobbied to secure a special ten percent reduction to the MOE for the fiscal year 2008-09. The logic behind the 10 percent reduction was that if the PLF was facing a ten percent reduction (as it was that particular Budget year) it would be beneficial to all libraries to similarly be able to reduce their maintenance of effort proportionally. Some libraries argued that a complete suspension of the MOE would be preferable, but others argued that the MOE requirement is critical as it asks city councils and county boards of supervisors to make a continued financial commitment to public libraries, and without it, they may not have the incentive to continue that local share of funding.

Senate Budget Committee staff, the Legislative Analyst's Office, the Department of Finance, and the State Library were instrumental in helping us to draft the final language that would not base the MOE reduction on a specified percentage, but rather would reference the year-to-year change in the PLF Budget appropriation. As Budget staff said to us at that time, "That way, if the Governor vetoes an amount of the PLF beyond what the legislature has recommended, the percent by which the item is reduced will then become the target under which locals won't have money cut."

For this Budget year, the legislature has been agreeable to include the MOE language in the annual Budget bill again at our request. While we are still a long way away from the final resolution of the Budget this year, language offering public libraries assistance with the MOE during these tough fiscal times, is contained in both the Assembly and Senate Budget bills. We anticipate that the following language will be the final language signed into law:

"Notwithstanding subdivision (d) of Section 18025 of the Education Code or any other provision of law, in the 2010-11 fiscal year, any city, county, district, or city and county that reduces local revenues required to meet the maintenance of effort requirement for its public library for the 2010-11 fiscal year shall continue to receive state funds appropriated under this item for the 2010-11 fiscal year only, provided that the amount of the local reduction to that public library for the 2010-11 fiscal year is no more than a specified percentage of the 2009-10 fiscal year local revenues required to meet the maintenance of effort requirement for that public library, as certified by the fiscal officer of the public library and transmitted to the State Librarian pursuant to Section 18025 of the Education Code. The specified percentage in this provision shall be the percentage reduction for this item from the Budget Act of 2007 (Chs. 171 and 172, Stats. 2007) to this act."

We recognize that this is a complex issue. Your business officers or the State Library are always also an excellent resource on this subject matter. We will keep you apprised of when this language is ultimately signed into law.

Earlier this week, I attended the opening of "Santa Mammon", the new massive outdoor shopping center that has been constructed at the end of the Santa Monica Promenade. You have to admire the powers-that-be for their bravery, if nothing else, for their brazen foolhardiness in opening a ginormous three story mall during an era of recession. The place is, frankly, so top heavy with upscale businesses, it's a bit like taking Rodeo Drive, folding it in on itself like a lasagna pasta sheet, and then putting another Rodeo Drive on top of it.

I loved wandering around the place, and I did just about what everyone else was doing: I stepped into the fancy stores, happily fondled the glittery crystals at the Bagnace outlet, gaped at the incredibly gorgeous shirts at the Feodor of Italy shop, and stared out to sea from the food court patio. And then I ran to buy my socks and underwear at the Sears across the street. For, really, we have to face it: I didn't see anyone actually buying anything at any of the stores. Instead, the place was being treated like a very good museum.

Folks wandered to and fro in the open air under Santa Monica's beautiful blue sun, a stone's throw from the glittering Pacific Ocean, peering at the exhibits, gaping at the gawgaws, and then going right home. They were doing this by the thousands, it seems. You see, it's clear that, first and foremost, this isn't meant to be a shopping mall for today: This is a shopping mall that was conceived several years ago, when the economy was still flush, and it is being maintained for the patron of tomorrow -- he who lives in that foggy era when the economy has recovered. For the businesses and patrons of today, the place is essentially a game of Pass the Parcel (to paraphrase the play "The History Boys"), as we try to get from the ostentatious times of Yesteryear, to the consumptive time of Futureyear.

But what has all this to do with libraries, you may well ask. Well, here's the thing. Perhaps it's my fault and I freely admit I did not make the comprehensive and thorough search I could have, but it seems to me, I saw nary a bookstore in the place. That's all well and good, one supposes - there are plenty of places that don't have bookstores. And yet, don't you see a sort of an opportunity here for public libraries? One wonders, why is there no little branch library in the shopping mall? Why is there no knowledge management specialist providing some assistance at the facility?

I'm currently in my second year of studies for my MLIS in the Los Angeles Cohort of the University of North Texas/ Cal State Northridge program. And in two of my classes (Organization of Information and Advanced Management, if you really want to know), the professors stressed the notion of "providing service at the point of information need." As I, who art a mere acolyte, interpret this, it is the idea of going to where the patron is, rather than waiting for the patron to come to you.

Now, I can already hear the sensible amongst us already complaining about the idea of opening branches in shopping malls. For one thing, I can't argue with the idea that space in those shopping malls does, in fact, cost something like $40,000 per square foot. That is indeed a daunting sum for a cash-strapped public organization where librarians are already being laid off left and right and Library Pages are being replaced by the Pagebot 2000 Autoshelver, no two ways about it. So, perhaps the idea of opening an entire branch next to the Bloomies and across from the Nordstrom won't fly. I can dig it.

But might it not be possible to re-visit the idea of the old Library Bookmobile? If you walk through the shopping center, one sees, not only expensive stores, but also these sweet little wagon-sized carts, from which mobile phones or tiaras or scarves are sold with all the ferocity of barterers at a Medieval market town. Why can't a mobile mini-library be operated off of one of those cute little carts? Can you imagine it?

It would be a central location, equipped (in my fervid mind's eye) with a wifi connected computer to allow communication with the central library, where a patron could get a library card, might be able to check out one or two of a modest collection of best sellers on the cart itself, or could use a Public Access Station (for 15 minutes at a time, perhaps). The cart would come equipped with lots of Civic Information about the community, as well as an As Needed Roving librarian, who would have her own Blackberry for reference questions.

Even if a library cart such as this didn't get much use as a sort of Bookmobile, one imagines that the promotional possibilities for building a library presence in the place where so many people go would be inestimable. Even if you don't check out a single book, the number of people who pass by and go, "Oh yes, I do love the library!" can be counted as a friend who has been reminded of the usefulness of the facility and the organization. That might be very handy come vote time. And, when you consider that these gigantic shopping centers are, in fact, the New Village Green, it behooves us to go where the people are.

Paul Birchall
Cal State Northridge/University of North Texas SLIS 2011
Santa Monica Public Library

Thirteen California public libraries have been selected as 2010/2011 grant recipients for California's Family Place Library Program, a statewide initiative that helps create family/early childhood space in the children's areas of local public libraries. Equipped with toys, books, and comfortable furniture, these settings support early-learning interactions between young children (ages 0 to 3), parents, and caregivers, and encourage the use of public libraries by families with children.

Program participants for the coming year include:

Altadena Library District
Azusa Public Library
El Dorado County Library (Cameron Park)
National City Public Library
Orange County Libraries (La Habra)
Oxnard Public Library (South Oxnard)
Porterville Public Library
Sacramento Public Library (South Gate)
San Bernardino Public Library
San Mateo County Library (Half Moon Bay)
Santa Clara City Library
Sierra Madre Public Library
Sunnyvale Public Library

In September, two representatives from each of these libraries will attend a three-day Family Place Training Institute that focuses on family-centered services, child development, parent education, collections, space design, and community outreach. These libraries will then be eligible to apply for a federally-funded implementation grant, up to $15,000, to establish early childhood spaces in their children's sections.

Modeled on a national Family Place project, California's Family Place Program is administered by the California State Library and is funded by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

For more information about California's Family Place Library Program, please contact Bessie Condos at the California State Library, (916)651-0981 or bcondos@library.ca.gov .

Submitted to California Libraries by Laura Parker, Public Information Officer, California State Library, lparker@library.ca.gov, (916) 651-6798.

Public Access Computers
One evening in 2010 in a small family-oriented library where I work as a part-time Reference Librarian, I found myself questioning what I should do. A parent came to me for assistance. She quietly stepped up to the reference desk, and so as not to be overheard, she whispered to me that a man using one of the public access computers was seated next to her 9-year-old child, and he was browsing what looked like child pornography on the next cubicle. Yes, it happened. I was stunned. I wondered could this man possibly be so bold (or desperate enough) to be viewing child pornography in a public library filled with juveniles and their parents researching CA Missions? I was the only librarian on duty. I had to think, assess the situation, confirm the information, act quickly, discreetly, and ethically to solve this dilemma. What should I do? What would you do? What library principles should librarians and library professionals obey in a similar situation? What resources and tools does the American Library Association (ALA) provide to help us? I am certain that I am not the first, and sadly, I am nor the last librarian that will encounter a similar situation. First of all, without corroborating the alleged claim, I must admit that my reaction was not only judgmental; it was also wrong, and unprofessional. Thus, I am writing about my predicament because, in retrospect, I know that I did not act as professionally as I could have, and as a life-long learner and graduate student in the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at San José State University, I must remember to apply what I have learned. Librarianship has multiple resources that provide librarians and library professionals the guidelines and tools we need to deal with and resolve any problem.

Resources and Tools
The most authoritative and important resource librarians have to deal with these matters is the American Library Association (ALA) and its Office for Intellectual Freedom. It provides us with policies, guidelines, and training, whenever needed. Its mission is to implement the ALA policies applicable to intellectual freedom. The best tool available to promote intellectual freedom at the library is presented in the Library Bill of Rights, and its precepts are based on the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Since I did not know the law as it pertains to accessing child pornography in the public access computers at the library, the situation described above, created an ethical dilemma because it not only conflicted with my personal values and beliefs, it conflicted with the ALA's Code of Ethics, which are found in the eight edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual.

Another respected and reliable resource for librarians is the California Library Association (CLA), which has an Intellectual Freedom Working Committee whose mission is to "create awareness of the issues of intellectual freedom, investigates any controversial issue, provides resources for handling problems and prepares recommendations." (About, 2010) I became a CLA student member in 2007. Among the benefits of membership the CLA offers its members a subscription to the California Library Information eXchange known as the CALIX LISTSERV. According to the Webopedia Computer Dictionary the non-technical definition for LISTSERV is: an automatic mailing list server ([first] developed by Eric Thomas for BITNET in 1986.) When e-mail is addressed to a LISTSERV mailing list, it is automatically broadcast to everyone on the list. The messages are transmitted as e-mail and are therefore available only to individuals on the list." (LISTSERV, 2010) I have received the CALIX e-mails for a couple of years. The list focuses on library issues and trends, and it is available to all CLA members who become subscribers. Its intent is to be a forum for librarians in California to practice intellectual freedom and exchange information freely.

CALIX Forum
I did not see the need to use the CALIX listserv until the incident described above. I know that I did not handle the situation well, and it disturbed me. I talked to other librarians, to my family, and friends. I even dreamt about it. I was trying to resolve this ethical dilemma by myself and I was troubled by my lack of knowledge and understanding on how to handle it better in the future. Now, I know that I should not have made CALIX my last resort; I should have made it my first. After all, the members of CALIX are mostly library staff and librarians that compared to me have years of experience in public, academic, school and special libraries. Those of us in the library field must remember that if we are willing to become intellectual freedom fighters, who allow the free flow of communication and ideas without censorship, we librarians, are definitely our best resource. However, sometimes pride, fear of rejection, or being perceived as less cultured or learned than others, we fail to ask questions that might help others in and out of our field of expertise. So, I dared to send a CALIX message, and the forum's purpose was well served. I wanted to learn from others what I could have done better, what applicable laws and guidelines I had to help me. I sought and received information on the laws prohibiting child pornography. I learned different perspectives and policies from public, academic, and special librarians. Their suggestions and examples provided the help and encouragement I needed to learn how to resolve this problem ethically and professionally, the next time around.

What I Learned in CALIX

A librarian's duty includes protecting everyone's right to freedom of expression. Thus, I faced an ethical dilemma that will be encountered by most librarians or library staff at some point in their careers. My only means to seek justice and truth was to inform the authorities and to tell the patron he had to leave. It was very hard for me to go talk to him, not only because of the nature of the situation, but also because I thought I was violating his Library Bill of Rights. I thank the CLA, CALIX and its members, for allowing me to share my learning process. I have learned the laws regarding this issue and I recognize that I acted accordingly and professionally. Now, I pass it forward to you, to learn along with me.

"About the California Library Association," California Library Association, 2010.
http://www.cla-net.org/aboutcla/index.php (Accessed August 11, 2010)

"California Penal Code - Section §311-312.7 Chapter 7.5" Justia.com Laws and Regulations. 2004-2010. http://law.justia.com/california/codes/2009/pen/311-312.7.html (Accessed August 12, 2010)

"Library Bill of Rights," American Library Association, June 30, 2006.
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm (Accessed August 11, 2010)
Document ID: 24930

LISTSERV. Webopedia Computer Dictionary. Webopedia 2010.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/Listserv.html (Accessed August 11, 2010)

"Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)," American Library Association, June 09, 2008.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/index.cfm (Accessed August 11, 2010)
Document ID: 492328

"Professional Ethics," American Library Association, June 13, 2008.
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/proethics/index.cfm (Accessed August 11, 2010)
Document ID: 493251

"United States Code Title 18 § 2251. Sexual exploitation of children." Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. 2010. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00002251----000-.html (Accessed August 12, 2010)

It's almost September - and across California the change of seasons is beginning to show in the turning of green leaves into gold and brown, the slight hint of chill in the air - and in the harmonies of high schoolers fresh from their second week of school singing show tunes below the open library windows. That's right, steam punk-edged high-schoolers and "Les Miserables" - singing their hearts out and providing a memorable respite at the dwindling end of a very busy day.

These days I actively seek out these moments of light, joy and grace - mostly unexpected and always a call to be present - in the midst of our depressed economies, continued unemployment, rising cuts and increasing community divisions. Life seems so much harder now, for so many - and what we do, everyday, in our places of work, wherever they are, illuminates a path and guides a myriad of ways for our communities.

The shelter of libraries of all types (public, school, academic, law, special), the solace of words on a page, or sung full-voiced to a tune dancing invisibly in the air, the sustenance of an answer found and a connection affirmed, a smile and a nod that says "Welcome" - I treasure these moments and am proud to be in a profession, and a professional association, that supports and sustains our state through literacy, learning, sharing and community development - one person at a time.

For the past eight months of my Presidency, I have had the honor and privilege to work with a tremendous Board, hard-working and creative volunteers on committees, interest groups and CALTAC, and a staff that is eager to serve and grow CLA for the future. Together, we have learned a lot and worked towards a positive and forward-looking approach for CLA. We have faced external challenges, survived transition and seized remarkable opportunities.

State funding for public libraries survived two rounds of budget cuts in Sacramento - thanks to the expertise of CLA's paid lobbyists, the hard work of CLA's volunteer legislative and advocacy committee, and responsive professionals in the field. Working with our colleagues in county law libraries, an attack on their funding was turned away. CLA was tapped to support ballot language for a November ballot initiative protecting local funding from state "borrowing." And when a new State Librarian was selected, or libraries were closed in Colton, threatened in the bay area and northern state, CLA was there to assist local interests through letters, phone calls, media attention and collegial input.

CLA's educational opportunities have never been so robust. The "Spring Fling", supported by CLA Interest Groups across the state, brought library colleagues face-to-face to share best practices, learn and grow. Packard Foundation funding brought summer reading library and community demonstration projects to selected libraries across the state. A strengthened partnership with SJSU is a model for university and association relations, while partnerships with UCLA, Drexel (and hopefully others) are developing according to each institution's unique populations and needs. Together, with the California School Library Association, in November, we are unveiling the first truly collaborative statewide professional librarians' conference. What we have accomplished together has been truly "profession changing."

And we have done so in a year of budget challenges and business transition - for our members, colleagues and ourselves as an association. CLA budget challenges include reduced member library budgets statewide, meaning less money for staff memberships, travel and development, leading to fewer CLA members and 2009 Conference attendees and a significant decline in revenues to CLA from those sources. Increased one-time infrastructure costs, including upgrading the CMS provider (a new website will be under construction shortly), conference software (check out the 2010 Conference online tool Pathable for scheduling, networking, meeting presenters pre-conference...coming soon), improved membership tracking and financial tools, have also affected the bottom line.

The Board is committed to a balanced budget for this fiscal year and to working toward a long-term fiscal solution supported by responsible financial policies and increasing revenues. At the July Board meeting, the budget was referred to a Board Fiscal Stability Task Force and the CLA Finance Committee for August review and development of strategic realignment, working with staff to recommend a balanced budget for approval at the CLA Board meeting in mid-September.

Despite all these concerns I continue to listen for the sweet sounds of solace floating from the most unlikely sources: the rustle of a page, click of a mouse or clear, open voice of a high schooler, singing outside an open library - the most unlikely place, at a most unlikely time - not knowing that she or he has lifted me out of my "budget cuts daze", from my desk chair to an open window. Where I can feel the breeze, see the turning of leaves against the bits of blue breaking through the fog, know the seasons are changing - and open to the possibilities, which are all around us.

Kim Bui-Burton
Director, Monterey Public Library
CLA 2009-2010 President

The Monterey Public Library is an Institutional Member of CLA and directly supports our advocacy programs. Click here for more information on Institutional Membership.

They started out as a group of teens who liked poetry. They wanted and used the Cesar Chavez Public Library as a place to meet, write, explore, and perform, but little did they know that from their own words and voices they would inspire and create a city wide movement to build a brighter future for its youth. The group Teen Salinas Speaks (TSS) has created a whirlwind of publicity and gained a devoted following, and from their free poetry workshops to Operation Oprah film campaign, have gathered an entire community to not only explore the power of their words and voices, but combat and face violation and gang activity head on.

In 2009 Salinas saw 29 gang related homicides, coming 4th in the entire state of California for highest per capita murder rate. TSS Member Mya Perez said, "I first joined because it was a way to express myself without getting judged for it, a place where I can perfect my poetry, but now that we have expanded I continue to go because I wanna help rid off gang violence before I see another friend in a coffin..."

The members of TSS recognize that combating gang violence and offering realistic alternatives is no easy journey, and the road ahead will be long, paved with plenty of bumps along the way. They hold weekly meetings and broadcast a weekly radio show called, "The Peace Hour," with PK McCary where they address and discuss issues affecting teens. From injustice to racism the teens tackle each and every piece of life that changes and influences how we see and interact with those around us hoping to raise awareness and create an open dialogue in the community. With the series of nine podcasts, they've begun to soothe the fears and uncertainties of our teens simply by recognizing they exist, and talking them through.

TSS recently reached out to media celebrity Oprah Winfrey to raise awareness and bring national attention to the struggle in Salinas with their "Operation Oprah" film, asking for Oprah's assistance to rebuild and strengthen the community by funding the expansion of the Cesar Chavez Librarylocated in the heart of East Salinas - the Alisal.

Despite the small space of only 9000 square feet, the Cesar Chavez Library sees 900-1,200 visitors a day and hosts the city's most popular weekly bilingual story time with almost 100 children and families in regular attendance. The Homework Center run by Literacy Services offers free bilingual tutoring after school on a daily basis, and continues to watch its numbers climb, as after-school programs and recreation centers close due to budgets cuts. Attendance has more than doubled in the last year, and English Language and GED courses have been filled to capacity. The need is clear, the demand is high, and the City will, hopefully, have enough funds to add another 7,000 square feet to expand the library.

TSS is taking charge of promoting and fighting for the library, a place they refer to as "the heart of the community." They met with the architect of the expansion project, and described the library they wanted, one that included a gym and lots of reading space.

TSS holds poetry writing workshops with local teachers Natalie Bernasconi and Vicki Baron. From the basics of sentence structure to sharing thoughts and ideas with peers, the poetry writing workshops held weekly at the Cesar Chavez Library are an open and safe session for creativity where teens can interact and communicate without being judged or face the stresses and fears they encounter everyday walking through the streets of Salinas. With the help of Garland Thompson, TSS conducted, held, and recorded Salinas Public Library's first Teen Poetry Slam and saw over 100 in attendance. From its success, the interest and demand in poetry and spoken word has risen, and circulation of poetry works and anthologies has climbed.

In hopes to spread their message in the virtual world, TSS Teens have also created a website with the help of local librarian Carissa Purnell (www.teensalinasspeaks.org) where they post video footage of their poetry readings, podcasts, and provide links to communicate via Facebook, MySpace, or gmail. Here they pull together their messages and invite everyone and anyone to join in the battle to find a voice and speak out.

Using all the digital tools available to them, coupled with the power of their voices and will to express them, the teens of TSS have changed the way youth are influencing the Salinas community. You will find them speaking at City Council Meetings as well as at Slam Poetry competitions in Monterey. Teen Salinas Speaks continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes of Salinas youth, developing a rich and talented group of teens and young adults that will change the way the community grows in the years to come.

A typical Chicago Underground Library (CUL) volunteer meeting starts something like this: New volunteers arrive for orientation at 6:30pm, some a little late because they got lost in the 100-year old parish house where we occupy the lobby of a fringe theater company on the second floor. When we have a critical mass of new people, anywhere from 3-7 a month, I try to explain the project as briefly as possible.

A Community-Based Approach to Collecting and Cataloging
CUL is a replicable model for community archives that accepts every piece of print media from a certain area without making quality or importance judgments, going back as far in history as possible. That means we collect university press, handmade artist books, zines made by sixth graders, poetry chapbooks from big names published in tiny local presses, and self-published poetry chapbooks sold for a dollar on the street. We have neighborhood newspapers, internationally-renowned magazines of political commentary, and three View-Master reels of Chicago hot dog stands, neon signs, and motor inns, respectively.

We catalog items by everyone who contributed--writers, editors, typesetters, photographers, interns--and link those people together in our catalog so that users can trace the connections between contributors as they move from one publication to the next. We're building new cataloging software that we eventually hope to provide free of charge to jumpstart other collections. When other cities replicate the model, we'll be able to track the origin and migration of these ideas from city to city through individuals. Our new catalog and website will be up within the next two months.

We've been doing this for close to five years and have accumulated over 2,000 publications. We consider anything intended for public consumption to be "published," so while our collection is very broad, we draw the line at correspondence or personal journals. Geography is fluid, though. Connections between the publications are more important than strict regional boundaries. Someday we want to collect audio and video, too, but we'd need a pretty serious operating budget to do that and at least one full-time employee. Having only been incorporated for a year and receiving just last week an anonymous donation to cover our 501c3 filing, we still have a little way to go before we get there. Our volunteers are the heart and soul and brains and heavy lifters (figuratively and-- when you have boxes of books involved-- literally) of our organization.

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A typical Chicago Underground Library (CUL) volunteer meeting starts something like this: New volunteers arrive for orientation at 6:30pm, some a little late because they got lost in the 100-year old parish house where we occupy the lobby of a fringe theater company on the second floor. When we have a critical mass of new people, anywhere from 3-7 a month, I try to explain the project as briefly as possible.

A Community-Based Approach to Collecting and Cataloging

CUL is a replicable model for community archives that accepts every piece of print media from a certain area without making quality or importance judgments, going back as far in history as possible. That means we collect university press, handmade artist books, zines made by sixth graders, poetry chapbooks from big names published in tiny local presses, and self-published poetry chapbooks sold for a dollar on the street. We have neighborhood newspapers, internationally-renowned magazines of political commentary, and three View-Master reels of Chicago hot dog stands, neon signs, and motor inns, respectively.

We catalog items by everyone who contributed--writers, editors, typesetters, photographers, interns--and link those people together in our catalog so that users can trace the connections between contributors as they move from one publication to the next. We're building new cataloging software that we eventually hope to provide free of charge to jumpstart other collections. When other cities replicate the model, we'll be able to track the origin and migration of these ideas from city to city through individuals. Our new catalog and website will be up within the next two months.

We've been doing this for close to five years and have accumulated over 2,000 publications. We consider anything intended for public consumption to be "published," so while our collection is very broad, we draw the line at correspondence or personal journals. Geography is fluid, though. Connections between the publications are more important than strict regional boundaries. Someday we want to collect audio and video, too, but we'd need a pretty serious operating budget to do that and at least one full-time employee. Having only been incorporated for a year and receiving just last week an anonymous donation to cover our 501c3 filing, we still have a little way to go before we get there. Our volunteers are the heart and soul and brains and heavy lifters (figuratively and-- when you have boxes of books involved-- literally) of our organization.

Read More

CHICAGO--The California Library Association (CLA), a chapter of the American Library Association, has announced its support of the Spectrum Presidential Initiative with a contribution of $500.

ALA President Roberta Stevens, Immediate Past President Dr. Camila Alire, ALA President-Elect Molly Raphael and ALA Past President Dr. Betty J. Turock, chair of the initiative, continue the Spectrum Presidential Initiative as a special campaign to raise $1 million for the Spectrum Scholarship Program. Through this initiative, ALA aims to meet the critical needs of supporting master's-level scholarships, providing two $25,000 doctoral scholarships, increasing the Spectrum Endowment to ensure the program's future and developing special programs for recruitment and career development. CLA's contribution will allow ALA to continue to support master's-level Spectrum Scholarships and build the Spectrum Endowment.

Kim Bui-Burton, 2010 CLA president, said of the gift,

"As a former recipient of a CLA Scholarship for Minority Students in Memory of Edna Yelland, I know the impact this kind of professional, financial investment can have on a library school student. As CLA President I am delighted to share the support of the Board and membership for ALA's Spectrum Scholarship students as they prepare to meet the needs of our nation's diverse and growing communities."

Established in 1895, the California Library Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services, librarianship, and the library community. CLA helps its 3,000 members excel in a fast-changing job market and is a resource for learning about new ideas and technology. Furthermore, CLA is a leading advocate on all statewide library issues and actively works to influence legislation affecting libraries and librarians. Governed by an elected Board of Directors, CLA is headquartered in Folsom, California. More information may be obtained at www.cla-net.org.

Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program is ALA's national effort to increase diversity in the profession by recruiting and providing scholarships that allow students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds to become librarians. Spectrum Scholars improve service at the local level because they reflect the communities served by libraries in today's changing world. Spectrum has provided more than 680 scholarships to qualified applicants enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an ALA-recognized NCATE school librarian program. To learn more about the Spectrum Scholarship Program, visit www.ala.org/spectrum.

For more information about the Spectrum Presidential Initiative or to make an online donation, visit http://spectrum.ala.org. To learn more, get involved, or to make a pledge to the Spectrum Presidential Initiative, contact Miguel A. Figueroa, Director, Office for Diversity & Spectrum at mfigueroa@ala.org, or Kim Olsen-Clark, Director, Development Office at kolsen-clark@ala.org.