Hello, Council,

Here’s just a brief update on selected activities over the past week.
Cheers,
Loriene Roy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I. Communication: Interviews
A. 12 Nov: Arkansas Democrat (Topic: archival processing)
B. 15 Nov: Oregonian (Topic: armed security guards in public libraries)

II. Media Coverage
A. “Big Reader Leads County’s Big Read,” Duluth News Tribune, 12 November 2007. [cover story]

III. Presentations:
A. Keynote Address: “Carlton County’s “Big Read” Program, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’” Fond du Lac Community College, Cloquet, Minnesota (13 November 2007)
B. Co-Presenter, “Presidents’ Reception,” California School Library Association Annual Conference, Ontario, California (16 November 2007)

IV. Writing/Publication
“President’s Message: Circle of Community,” American Libraries 38 (10) (November 2007): 6.
Submitted: President’s Message for January/February 2008 issue of American Libraries

V. Meetings and visits:
A. Conference Call
1. 12 November 2007: WGBH-Boston, “We Shall Remain,” American Experience Advisory Board query
B. Northern Minnesota
13 Nov: visit, Ojibwe School Library, Fond du Lac Reservation
13 Nov: visit: Margaret & Henry Oldenberg House, National Register, Carlton
13 Nov: dinner with Cloquet Public Library director, retired school librarian, director, Carlton County Historical Society
14 Nov: lunch with Katharine Johnson, retired school librarian at Zimmy’s, Hibbing, Minnesota
14 Nov: Tour: Hibbing Public Library
14 Nov: Tour: Bob Dylan Archives, Hibbing Public Library
14 Nov: Tour: Chisholm Public Library
14 Nov: Tour: Buhl Public Library
C. Southern California
1. 15 Nov: Audio book taping, Southbay Studios, Long Beach
2. 15 Nov: Dinner, Deborah Morales and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Long Beach
3. 16 Nov: General Session I, California School Library Association Annual Conference (CSLA) (Speaker: Paul Janeczko)

4. 16 Nov: General Session II, CSLA (Speaker: Assembly Member Jean Fuller)
5. 16 Nov: Concurrent Session CSLA: An Awarding Experience: My Year on the 2007 Newbery Committee (Speaker: Dr.Claudette S. McLinn)
6. 16 Nov: Concurrent Session CSLA: The Authentic Immigrant Experience in Picture Books (Speaker: Rene Colato Lainez)
7. 16 Nov: Exhibits, CSLA
8. 16 Nov: Dinner, Dr. Blanche Woolls, Chair, ALA International Relations Committee
9. 16 Nov: President’s Reception, CSLA

VI. Upcoming Travel:

24-26 Nov: Guadalajara Book Festival (http://www.fil.com.mx)
Expenses covered: ALA Free Pass; ALA Prez budget
8 Dec: Commencement speaker, School of Information, The
University of Texas at Austin
12-13 Dec: Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Library Visit
14-21 Dec: CALA Seminar in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China


VII. For Fun
14 Nov: Slovenian Home: annual apple strudel day
16 Nov: dancing, Misty’s, Doubletree, Ontario
17 Nov: The Duane Carter Band, Dona Emelia’s, Austin, TX. Duane is a Spectrum Scholar

VIII. Fall 2007 “Public Libraries” graduate class, Mondays, 9 a.m. to noon. Topics for the week: public library finances, user services.

Hello, Council,

Here’s just a brief update on selected activities over the past week.
Cheers,
Loriene Roy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I. Communication: Interviews
A. 5 November: “Tell Me More,” NPR (Host: Michel Martin; Topic: Native American Heritage Month)
B. 7 November: Duluth News Tribune (topic: Big Read Event; biographical)
C. 8 November: Newswatch Native America (topic: update on ALA initiatives)
C. 9 November: Fort Worth Star Tribune (topic: role of public libraries)
D. 9 November: taped greeting for Bulgarian libraries (topic: ABLE grant)

II. Media Coverage
1. Hillel Italie “…Little Tree”AP.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3828203
2. “Libraries Celebrate National Native American Month, “ Tell Me More, NPR, 7 November 2007. Podcast available at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16069653
3. “Loriene Roy to Speak at Fond du Lac Community College,” Pine Journal, 8 November 2007.

II. Presentations:
1. “Can an ALA President Get RadiCAL?” Colorado Association of Libraries, Denver. (9 November 2007)

III. Meetings and visits:
1. 5 November: ALA Executive Committee conference call.
2. 6 November: Deborah Ultan, ARLIS President, conference planning call
3. 6 November: UT-Austin School of Information, Graduate Studies Committee
4. 7 November: Workplace Wellness Webmaster/Coordinator meeting
5. Colorado Association of Libraries
A. 8 November: (partial attendance) Nancy Pearl Keynote Presentation
B. 8 November: Dinner, REFORMA-Colorado Chapter (thank you, Orlando Archibeque)
C. 9 November: Exhibits
D. 9 November: CAL Business meeting
E. 9 November: Poster Session: “Evaluating Sources for Historical Event: The Wounded Knee Massacre”
F. 9 November: Poster Session: using KOHA in a small public library
G. 9 November: Workshop: “See Sally Kick Ass: A Librarian’s Guide to Personal Safety” (presenter: Fred Vogt)
E. 9 November: Awards Dinner & Ceremony
F. 10 November: Intellectual Freedom Committee Julie J. Boucher Memorial Lecture: Information, Civic Engagement, and Civil Rights (speaker: Nancy Kranich)
G. 10 November: Workshop: Cultura, Diversion y Libros: How to Develop Programs that Hook Spanish-Speakers! (speaker: Rita Aurora Puig)
H. 10 November: poster sessions
I. 10 November: Lunch with REFORMA-Colorado members
J. 10 November: Workshop: Bienvenidos: A Practical Guide to Serving the Spanish Speaking Community at your Library (speaker: Ruby Nugest)
K. 10 November: Workshop: Colorado Cultural Convergence: Spanish Settlements, Native American Peoples, and American Expansion (multiple speakers)

IV. Upcoming Travel:
12-15 November 2007, Big Read discussion, Cloquet, Minnesota
15-17 November 2007, California Association of School Libraries, Ontario, California

VII. For Fun
1. 9 November: Reception, Colorado Association of Libraries (thank you, Beth Wrenn-Estes, CAL Past-President)
2. 11 November: UT-Austin Women's basketball game. Final score: UT: 92; Missouri State: 55. Welcome Coach Goestenkors. Go 'Horns!

VIII. Fall 2007 “Public Libraries” graduate class, Mondays, 9 a.m. to noon. Students presented panels of genre fiction (mystery and western), highlighting historical coverage, classic titles and authors, selection aids, and service for readers.

Dear Colleagues:
I want to provide you with an overview of some of the more important actions and items discussed at the Fall Executive Board meeting on October 20th and 21st.

The Board approved the annual Programmatic Priorities based on the Ahead to 2010 strategic plan, that will be recommended to Council at the Midwinter Meeting. The Board also reviewed the preliminary Fiscal Year 2007 financial results for the association for the fiscal year that concluded on August 31. The association ended the year with a surplus of revenues over expenditures, and the Board approved use of these funds for an additional salary adjustment for ALA staff, for special projects related to the strategic plan, and to build the association's reserve.

The Board also approved the Final Fiscal Year 2008 budget based on the budgetary ceilings approved by Council. This budget included some adjustments, leaving some funds available for special initiatives and projects related to the strategic plan.

The Board reviewed the Report of the joint Membership Committee and BARC Task Force on the Graduated Dues Study, which will be presented to Council by the Task Force at the Midwinter Meeting. The Board thanked the Task Force for its work, and approved the initiation of a membership demographic study as outlined in the report and recommended by BARC. ALA is also currently working with Dr. Jose Marie Griffiths on an IMLS funded library workforce study that should provide critical information on future employment trends in the profession. Both of these studies will collect, analyze, and summarize needed data that will help inform us about issues related to the association's dues structure.

The Board also heard reports from the Endowment Trustees, from BARC, the Washington Office, and the Tribal Library Advocacy Team. This team is updating the Training and Assistance for Tribal Library Procedures Manual, a key resource for tribal libraries. They also heard and discussed two additional reports: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Public Library Technology and Access Study and the Web Site Usability Study.

Keith Michael Fiels and Mary Ghikas reported on progress in implementingthe Ahead to 2010 strategic plan. They also gave a status report on the pending reorganization arrangement between ALTA and FOLUSA. The plan involves FOLUSA serving in the role of providing executive and administrative services for ALTA for one year while the two organizations discuss a plan of action for a possible merger into a single joint ALA division.

Committee on Legislation Chair Camila Alire joined the meeting by telephone to discuss plans for a December Discussion on Government Information. This meeting will bring representatives from the Committee on Legislation, the Executive Board and interested divisions and round tables together to discuss how ALA units can best work together to effectively address issues relating to maintaining and improving access to government information.

The Board also reviewed a draft protocol for responding to requests for official ALA statements. The document is intended to help clarify the roles and responsibilities of ALA entities, including consulting other ALA units, when the association receives a request for an official position or for support of another organization's position.

The Board also approved updated Guidelines for Campaigning by Candidates for ALA Offices. In light of concerns regarding the financial burden on President and Treasurer now receive mailing labels and/or email addresses for all individuals listed in the Handbook of Organization (subject to member communication preferences). The guidelines also clarify issues related to endorsements by ALA units, elected officers and committee chairs. These changes take effect immediately and apply to candidates for president-elect in the spring 2008 election.

In closed session, the Board heard a legal update from ALA counsel Paula Goedert, reviewed nominations for Honorary membership, appointed a representative to the United States Board on Books for Young People, approved the Nominating Committee for the 2009 Election, received the 2008 slate of candidates from the ALA Nominating Committee, and discussed the Executive Director's Annual Evaluation.

On the Friday prior to the Board meeting, the Board met jointly with the divisions' Executive Directors and Executive Committees to discuss how to increase organizational excellence (goal six of the Ahead to 2010 strategic plan). Based on characteristics outlined in Seven Measures of Success, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives, the group identified possible areas where the association and divisions might best focus efforts in order to improve organizational excellence. A joint task force will be bring recommendations back to the group in order to develop an action plan.

More detailed information, including Board documents may be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceofficeb/executiveboard/eboardactions/07fallmtg.htm Also, please let me know if you would like additional information on any of these items.

Sincerely,

Loriene RoyPresident

Hello, Council,

Here’s just a brief update on selected activities over the past week.
Cheers,
Loriene Roy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I. Communication: Interviews
A. 30 October: AP (Topic: Oprah’s inclusion of “The Education of Little Tree” on her Top Ten list)
B. 30 October: USA Today (Topic: public libraries contracting with collection agencies for overdue books)

II. Media Coverage
1. [announcement of ALA Presidency] “On the Wind: Shards, “ Native Peoples Arts & Lifeways Nov/Dec 2007.

II. Presentations:
1. “`If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything’: National Reading Club for Native American Children,” Native American Heritage Month, The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (2 November 2007) [Thank you, Office of Workforce Diversity, The Law Library of Congress, Center for the Book.]

III. Meetings and visits:
1 November: Mark Bard and girlfriend, Woodbine Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Alexandria, Virginia. [Thank you, Pat May.]
1 November: Stopped by OITP Advisory Committee meeting, ALA Washington Office
1 November: Dinner with Barbara Folensbee-Moore, President, DC ALA Chapter, and Inee Slaughter and Gerald Hill, Indigenous Language Institute
2 November: Breakfast with Gabrielle Hill, RIF
2 November: Tour: Center for the Book, The Library of Congress
2 November: Lunch, librarians, Smithsonian Institution Libraries/NMAI, Cultural Resources Center
2 November: Tour: Smithsonian Institution Libraries technical services and acquisitions. [Thank you, Lynne Altstatt.]
3 November: staffed School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin booth, Texas Book Festival
4 November: Josh Dorfman, “The Lazy Environmentalist,” Texas Book Festival

IV. Upcoming Travel:
7-10 November 2007, Colorado Association of Libraries
12-15 November 2007, Big Read discussion, Cloquet, Minnesota
15-17 November 2007, California Association of School Libraries, Ontario, California

VII. For Fun
1. 3 November: Joe Ely author signing, Texas Book Festival
2. 3 November: Austin Bella Corda (young person’s guitar ensemble) recital, Hyde Park United Methodist Church. Bella Corda performed at my inauguration on 26 June 2007. For fans: Bella Corda was featured on air on the local NPR station last week on John Aeilli’s Eklectikos program. From the Aeilli Unleashed blog: “These kids are great.” You can read more on http://www.kut.org/. Just type “Bella Corda” in the search box.

VIII. Fall 2007 “Public Libraries” graduate class, Mondays, 9 a.m. to noon. Students presented panels of genre fiction (romance and science fiction), highlighting historical coverage, classic titles and authors, selection aids, and service for readers.