Vol. 25, No. 1 (March 2007)

President's Report

Advocacy Versus Apathy? Statehouse Connect Day Rescheduled for Spring

It was disappointing that the annual Statehouse Connect Day scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 was cancelled due to lack of participation (not due to bad weather.) Less than fifteen individuals registered for the day-long event. A minimum of twenty attendees was needed to make the event a success. Statehouse Connect Day is now being rescheduled for the spring.

Statehouse Connect Day is annual event that is co- sponsored by ALAO and OhioLINK. This occasion is the opportunity for participants to educate and inform policy makers about legislative activity that has a particular bearing on the work of academic libraries.

The usual agenda begins with a morning meeting at the Ohio Board of Regents office. Speakers address attendees on legislative advocacy issues. An update on important OhioLINK funding issues that need to be brought to the attention of the legislators is also presented. In 2006, Lynn Bradley from ALA’s Government Relations Washington office guided the meeting. Past speakers have included Legislative Aides and Congressmen. After a boxed lunch, attendees meet with their perspective legislators. Appointments have been scheduled previously.

The ALAO Executive Board revised the Strategic Plan for 2005/2006 - 2//7/2008 and included legislative advocacy as one of the main goals. In Goal 2 it states ALAO will "Promote and speak for the interests of Ohio academic libraries within the profession, in concert with allied organizations in Ohio, and to educate state and federal policy makers regarding academic libraries."

It is my hope that with the spring rescheduling of Statehouse Connect Day more ALAO members will participate and take action to inform our elected state policy makers of important issues facing academic libraries in Ohio.

Be a Library Advocate from your office:

Visit ALA’s Issues and Advocacy web page: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=issues

Join ALAO’s Legislative Advocates Network
Grassroots involvement is primarily achieved through the ALAO Legislative Advocates Network, a group of volunteer ALAO members, ideally representing all of Ohio's congressional districts. Members of the Network agree to receive and respond to legislative alerts, gleaned by the Government Relations Team from the ALA Washington Office Newsletter (ALAWON) and other sources.
It is easy to join - simply send an email to Cindy Kristof (ckristof@lms.kent.edu)

Get involved at the State Level:

Statehouse Connect Day will be rescheduled in the spring. Please watch for announcements on the ALAO Membership Listserv and check the ALAO Government Relations web page.

Two Library Advocacy opportunities in Washington, DC

ALA’s National Legislative Day Travel Award
Tuesday, May 1 and Wednesday, May 2, 2007

In an effort to increase the involvement of academic librarians in the annual ALA National Library Legislative Day, in Washington, DC, the Government Relations Team administers the ALAO Legislative Advocate Travel Award http://www.alaoweb.org/legislative/adv_trav.html

The purpose of attending this event is to raise the profile of academic libraries in the national political arena and to educate legislators of the issues facing academic libraries and academic librarians. As a member of the official Ohio delegation, the winner of this award, along with a member of the Government Relations Team, attends a meeting of the delegation from Ohio and also an issues briefing from the ALA Washington Office staff. The day culminates in a meeting with the ALAO member's legislator and staff.

Past recipients of this award have found the day to be very rewarding and have fostered relationships with their legislators that continue over the years.

To apply: send a letter of interest to one of the ALAO Government Relations Team members listed below. Include in your letter a brief description of your advocacy activity and issue involvement through ALAO or other civic organizations. Include also the name and phone number of a reference who is familiar with your advocacy efforts and interest..

Joe Salem (jsalem@lms.kent.edu)
Paul Burnam (pdburnam@owu.edu)
Cindy Kristof (ckristof@lms.kent.edu)

Library Day on the Hill at ALA Annual in Washington, DC
Tuesday, June 26, 2007, 12:00 - 6:00 pm

Join hundreds of fellow attendees for the rare opportunity to show the value of libraries to the Members of Congress. The day will include a Hearing on the Hill on the importance of all types of libraries, and displays around the Halls of Congress informing passers-by about each type of library and the services they provide. Buses will take participants to the Hill in the afternoon to visit your member's offices with colleagues. You'll be prepped with informational handouts, perfect for educating Members on the impact libraries have on people's lives, and invite them to join you for a special reception, which will take place that night from 4-6 pm, a perfect time for you to continue to interact with Members of Congress and Hill staffers. This event is free, but has limited availability.

Registration for these events is available through the online registration form.

2007 Conference Planning Update

A Quick Look at the 2008 ALAO Annual Conference

The ALAO Annual Conference Planning Committee has selected the site for the 2008 annual conference. The Roberts Conference Center and Holiday Inn just off of I-71 and conveniently located to Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. The conference will be held on October 24th 2008 with any pre-conference programming or other possible events set for the day before. The Holiday Inn hotel connected directly with the Roberts Conference Center and just outside of Wilmington Ohio will be the 2008 conference hotel. With 900+ spaces of free parking we hope to see everyone there in 2008!

Academic Library Association of Ohio
33rd Annual Conference, October 25th-26th, 2007
Columbus Convention Center, Columbus Ohio

At the time this newsletter goes to press the 2007 Annual Conference Planning Committee has undertaken an impressive task. For the first time in fourteen years ALAO will be hosting a two day conference! The conference will take place on October 25th and 26th, 2007 at the Columbus Convention Center and will feature both the traditionally invited programming the annual conference has always had and specifically planned programming that will bring a new dimension to this years conference theme:

Innovation Generation: Tools, Techniques, Transformations

One presenter making his return to Ohio for this years conference is a veteran of ALAO conferences. Mr. Joe Janes, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academics at the Information School at the University of Washington and who currently writes the "Internet Librarian" column for American Libraries magazine will be the presenter of this years President's program.

There are a number of other new ideas and offerings the conference committee is looking at for this year’s event and we hope you will want to be a part of all the excitement as the call for program proposals and for poster sessions will be available soon. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 2007 Conference Planning Committee for their dedication and hard work, without whose efforts we would be unable to make things happen this October! Thanks go to: John Crissinger, OSU/Newark & COTC; Alice Crosetto, University of Toledo; Joyce Burnett, Brown Mackie College/Findlay; Don Appleby, University of Akron; Ione Damasco, University of Dayton; Kevin Deemer, Kent State University/Ashtabula; Matthew Farthing, Owens Community College; Kevin Furniss, Denison University; Lori Fielding, University of Akron; Brian C. Gray, Case Western Reserve University; Angel Jackson, Columbus State Community College; Melanie McGurr, Ohio State University; Krista McDonald, Miami University/Hamilton; Stephena Harmony, University of Cincinnati/Raymond Walters College; Diana Nichols, Ohio University; Diana S. Riemenschneider, University of Cincinnati/Clermont College; Karen Plummer, University of Akron; Sue Polanka, Wright State University; Rob Withers, Miami University; Oliva P. Riley, DeVry University.

2007 ALAO Board Leadership Retreat

I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage current and newly elected ALAO Board members to mark June 7th-8th 2007 on your calendarsand to join your colleagues at the Atwood Lakes Conference Center in Dellroy Ohio as we get to know one another and get things started for another successful year for ALAO. Registration forms and Questionnaires are available from Douglas Morrison at sagemor@bright.net or you can obtain them during the board meeting. The deadline for registration for 2007 is March 7th, 2007. Anyone who registers beyond this date will need to see Douglas Morrison about available options. Hope to see you there!

Dates to Remember

ACRL Update

Congratulations to the 2007 ACRL Excellence in Academic Libraries Award Winners!

ACRL is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2007 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The award is sponsored by ACRL and Blackwell's Book Services, and recognizes the staff of a college, university, and community college library for programs that deliver exemplary services and resources that further the educational mission of the institution.

This year's recipients are, in the community college category, the Hostos Community College/CUNY Library, Bronx, NY; in the college category, the Elizabeth Huth Coates Library at Trinity University; and, in the university category, the Georgia Institute of Technology Library and Information Center, Atlanta, GA.

Each winning library will receive $3,000 and a plaque, to be presented at an award ceremony held on each recipients campus.

More information about all ACRL award winners is available on the ACRL Web site at: www.acrl.org (click, "Awards")

ACRL to offer preconferences on electronic resources librarianship and learning objectives

ACRL is offering two preconferences in conjunction with the 2007 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 22, 2007. Registration is now open; registration materials are available online at www.acrl.org (click "Events & Conferences").

• Accepting an Electronic Resources Librarianship Position: The Best Professional Decision You Ever Made! Now What? (Friday, June 22, 2007, 1:00 - 4:30 p.m.) -- Meant for new and practicing electronic resources librarians, this half-day preconference is planned as a how to session where you will gain in-depth knowledge on critical aspects of creating a framework for successful e-resources management.
• Writing and Using Objectives to Improve Library Instruction (Friday, June 22, 2007, 1:00 - 4:30 p.m.) -- This half-day preconference will introduce the development and use of learning objectives for library instruction. Learn how to create objectives that are specific and measurable and practice writing instructional objectives for lessons you currently teach or wish to teach.

Complete details about these ACRL professional development preconferences are available online at www.ala.org/acrl/events (click "ACRL @ Annual"). May 18, 2007, is the advance registration deadline. Questions? Contact msutton@ala.org.

Membership News

Currently, ALAO has 510 active members! If have not renewed your membership for 2007, please consider renewing soon. If you have any questions about your membership please feel free to contact me (ljf03@uakron.edu). For all of you that have renewed, or joined for the first time in 2007, thank you for supporting ALAO.

Membership cards for 2007 are still in the works and I plan to have those ready for distribution soon.

Interest Group/Committee News

Curriculum Materials Center Interest Group

Spring Workshop
The CMCIG Spring Workshop will be held on Friday, May 18, at Miami University’s new Instructional Materials Center in Oxford, Ohio. The workshop theme is Dynamic CMCs: Tools to Improve Service. A full day of sessions that will interest and benefit all CMC and education librarians, as well as their patrons, is being planned. Sessions will include Sara Bushong of Bowling Green State University speaking on weeding and collection development, Elaine Fultz of Centerville City Schools speaking on current trends in children’s and young adult literature, representatives of Junior Library Guild, and a group discussion on CMC student assistants. We will also tour the William Holmes McGuffey museum on Miami’s campus and visit a display of McGuffey materials in the King Library. Registration is $35 for ALAO/OCLIS members, $55 for non-members, and $55 for non-members who wish to join ALAO. Registration will begin on March 1. Please visit the CMCIG blog at http://cmcig.blogspot.com/ for updates and for registration instructions.

Distance Learning Interest Group

The Distance Learning Interest Group is planning a spring workshop focusing on optimal services for distance learners. The workshop is still in the planning stages but we would are tentatively looking at dates in early June. If you have ideas to contribute, a wonderful speaker to suggest, or would like to volunteer with the workshop, please contact co-chairs Kathryn Venditti, kvenditt@ashland.edu or Melanie Smith, melani6@uakron.edu.

Professional Development Committee

It is my pleasure to announce that the following colleagues have been awarded a Continuing Education Grant for Spring 2007:

Xudong Jin, from Ohio Wesleyan University, was awarded $525.00 to help cover costs to attend the 2007 ALA Annual Conference in June. He will be presenting a report to the Chinese American Libraries Association (CALA) as well as attending other meetings and presentations.

Katherine Najacht, from Bowling Green State University, was awarded $200.00 to help cover costs to attend the 13th National ACRL Conference in April.

Congratulations to both our recipients!

Are you looking for funds to attend a conference or other type of professional development opportunity? ALAO offers Continuing Education grants two times per year. The next cycle will be in the Fall of 2007. Look for more information in upcoming issues of the newsletter, on the ALAO website and from your ALAO Institution Liaison!!

Special Grant Opportunity for Support Staff

The ALAO Professional Development Committee is offering a special grant to assist a support staff member to attend the:

Conference within a Conference for Library Support Staff Empowerment 2007:
Mama Said There'd be Days Like This (But I Didn't Believe Her)

The Empowerment Conference will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24, 2007 in Washington, DC, during the 2007 ALA Annual Conference (http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annual/2007a/supportstaff.htm

Deadline to apply for ALAO grant is March 31, 2007.

Research and Publications Committee

The Research and Publications Committee is updating the "Bibliography of ALAO Authors' Publications"

Please consider sending citation information on any articles, book chapters, books, etc. you’ve had published since 2000. We plan to update this bibliography twice a year and create an archive section for citations older than three years. Please send your information to the Chair of the Research and Publications Committee, Brian Hickam, at Brian.hickam@utoledo.edu

People and Library News

Bowling Green State University

As the Library Media Technical Assistant 2 at BGSU, Kate Ackely supervises student employees, serves as the point person for and supports the day-to-day operation of the local requesting service. She also serves as the point person for local holds, requesting, and delivery of materials to all campus users and distance students and faculty. In addition, she responds to problems and questions from Library units, University departments, and general public as appropriate.

As the Library Media Technical Assistant 2 at BGSU, Jennifer Nyiri serves as the point person for and supports the day-to-day operation of the document delivery service and duplicating function for Library. She functionally supervises student employees for the document delivery area and also supervises shifts at the main circulation desk. In addition, she responds to problems and questions from Library units, University departments, and general public as appropriate.

Bowling Green State University - Firelands College

June Coughlin, 75, died on January 10th in Sandusky. She worked at Bowling Green State University—Firelands College Library from 1987 until her retirement in 1990. She was the head librarian when she retired. She had previously served as a documents librarian at Ohio University.

Capital University

Capital University’s Blackmore Library has had two retirements since January. Dr. Albert F Maag, Library Director, retired Feb 2 after serving the university community for 35 years. Karen Butler, Acquisitions Assistant, retired in January after 15 years of service. Stephen Long, Head Technical Services, will serve as the interim library director.

College of Mount St. Joseph

In December 2006, Paul Jenkins was named one of three national winners of the New York Times academic library award.

Denison University

Denison is happy to welcome Vicki Melicher who is working temporarily, part-time at Denison University as a Reference Librarian. Vicki received her MLS from Kent State in May of 2003

Denison University Director of Libraries, Dr. Lynn Scott "Scottie" Cochrane, is in Thailand on a Senior Fulbright Scholarship, where she is working with librarians and library students at Pibulsongkram, Khonkaen, Walailak, and Srinakharinwirot Universities. You can check out Scottie’s Thailand Blog at http://scottiethailand.blogspot.com/

Ann Watson will be presenting a poster session at the ACRL 13th National Conference in Baltimore. The title of the poster session is "The Library as Navigational Beacon: Engaging First Year Students through an Interactive Orientation ‘Poker Run.’"

Ann Watson, Head of Instruction & Access Services, and Sheryl Pustay, Acquisitions/Circulation/AV Specialist at Denison University, have a feature article that will be published in the March 2007 issue Associates: the Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. The article is titled, "Re) Positioning Our Collections: Implementing an Effective Stack Rearrangement Initiative Utilizing Student Employees."

Kent State University

Kent State University Libraries and Media Services has received a generous gift of over $943,000 from the recently deceased Victoria C. T. Read and the late Dr. Gerald H. Read. Their gift will benefit the processing, housing, and accessibility of the archival collection of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), an organization co-founded by Dr. Read in 1956. CIES has as its goal “to foster cross-cultural understanding, scholarship, academic achievement and societal development through the international study of educational ideas, systems, and practices.” This bequest will establish the Gerald H. and Victoria C. T. Read Archival Assistantship to provide future archivists with real-world training in the administration of archival materials. It will also make it possible to renovate the 10th floor of the University Library to expand the space available to its Department of Special Collections and Archives. Plans for the expansion will also provide for a much-needed dedicated instructional space for Special Collections and Archives’ librarians to provide students with opportunities for hands-on exploration of rare books and archival materials.

Malone College

Heidi Beke-Harrigan and Rosanna Hess will be presenting Information Literacy Level of Nursing Students at the 13th Annual Nursing Research Day at Robinson Memorial Hospital in April.

Marietta College

Joseph Straw has joined Marietta College Library as Reference and Instruction Librarian. Joe comes to Marietta from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was a reference librarian and coordinated instructional activities. Previously he served the University of Akron Bierce Library in various positions, including bibliographer for classics and history, reference librarian, and instructional coordinator. Joe holds Master of Library Science, Master of Arts in History, and Bachelor of General Studies degrees, all from Kent State University.

Miami University

John Burke has been named Director of the Gardner-Harvey Library at Miami University Middletown as of July 1, 2006.

John Burke (Miami University Middletown) and Krista McDonald (Miami University Hamilton) have been selected to present a poster session at the ACRL 13th National Conference in Baltimore entitled: "Life Preserver or Anchor?: Implementing a Textbooks on Reserve Program in the Library."

DeWine Papers Acquired
The Miami University Libraries are pleased to announce the donation of former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine's papers to the Walter Havighurst Special Collections Library.

The collection contains the official papers from DeWine’s career in public office, with emphasis in his tenure in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

The collection consists of more than 825 cubic feet of materials pertaining to his public service in Ohio and in Washington, D.C., including correspondence, reports, news clippings, press releases, speeches, committee and issue files, photos, and audiovisual materials. Miami is also receiving papers and pictures from his time as Greene County prosecutor, state senator and as Ohio lieutenant governor.

Loriene Roy, President-Elect of the American Library Association to talk at Miami University Libraries
As part of a week of events celebrating Native American theater and culture, Loriene Roy, president-elect of the American Library Association (ALA) and member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, will speak at the Miami University Libraries on February 22 at 7:30pm in 320 King Library.

Her talk, titled "Collaborations to Further Library Services for Indigenous Peoples" will focus on her work and research in bringing information and library services to indigenous students, including the national reading club for Native children she founded in 1999.

Grant to Enhance Academic Integrity
Miami University of Oxford, Ohio has been chosen by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to participate in a nationwide effort to help universities deepen student commitment to academic integrity and social responsibility.

Otterbein College

Allen Reichert has produced and directed The Odyssey of Odessey. In the video a villain steals an important document from the library, but librarian Bill Harper saves the day by getting another copy through the Odyssey electronic-delivery software. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5016711200231630710&

Shawnee State University

Shawnee State University welcomes a new circulation clerk, Marie Herles, to its staff.

Southern State Community College

Southern State Community College is pleased to announce that the Ben Lebovitz Exhibit was on display at the College’s south campus Learning Resource Center in February. A variety of photographs, showcasing a positive view on Appalachia and the surrounding environment, was featured in this exhibit. Lebovitz is a second year art and business student at Southern State Community College.

Ursuline College

The Ralph M. Besse Library at Ursuline College hired the following librarians last summer: Suzanna Schroeder as Head of Library Electronic and Media Services; and Jeremy White-Zeager as Head of Bibliographic Services.

Wright State

Deberah England is mentioned in the Swets newsletter this month! Under "Latest Swets News" see the second story "Tina Feick Presented at Electronic Resources & Libraries 2007 Conference." Her participation was possible due to ALAO's commitment to providing professional development and continuing education of it's membership – in this case ALAO Continuing Education Grants!

About the ALAO Newsletter

ALAO Newsletter Publication Information

The ALAO Newsletter is published four times a year by the Academic Library Association of Ohio, in September, December, March, and June. It is made available as a benefit of membership. The purpose of the ALAO Newsletter is to advance the goals of the organization and serve the membership.

Deadlines for Contributors:
August 15, November 15, February 15, May 15.

Submission Guidelines:
We reserve the right to edit for space and clarity. Please send text copy to Heidi Beke-Harrigan in electronic format, preferably as an electronic mail Word document attachment or within the body of an email message. Include your name as you wish it to appear. If you are past deadline, PLEASE call Heidi Beke-Harrigan!

The Academic Library Association of Ohio assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions of the contributors to this publication. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official position of ALAO.

Editor:
Heidi Beke-Harrigan
330/471-8315
hbharrigan@malone.edu