My ALA Council term is up next year. Originally I intended not to run again because I was going to be out of the country. Now I’m not intending to run again because I’d rather work in highly fulfilling low-paying jobs at home and not worry about saving money and time to make two week-long trips per year to cities I’ve already been to. I also don’t like institutional politicking as much as I thought I might. I was very happy to do it for three years. One of the best parts of Council meetings was getting to sit next to Jenna and talk about what was going on and our crazy librarian hopes and dreams. She’s on the nominating committee and has prepared a little page about why you should consider running. If you’re interested, get in touch with her. If you have questions, feel free to run them by me. [eli]
Author: jessamyn
can you help the LA State Library with technology equipment?
The State Library of Lousiana has increased its hours so that people can use its computers. They could use even more computers and printers. If you can donate, please help. You may remember that Rebecca Hamilton the Louisiana State Librarian has been at her job only a month or two, though she was Associate State Librarian for a few years previously.
“To all-we are in desperate need of computers/printers. We are being inundated with evacuees needing to file FEMA applications, unemployment, search for loved ones, etc. and are coming into our public libraries to use the computers. Our libraries have greatly extended their hours to accommodate the people but they need additional computers and printers. If you can please put the word out that if anyone wants to help immediately, this is our greatest need.”
Indiana bound
For any librarians in the Indiana area — Bloomington and Indianapolis specifically — I’ll be giving two talks next week. On Thursday the 15th I’ll be talking about libraries and technology with students of the library school at Indiana University [flyer1, flyer 2] at 6 pm. Then I scoot off to the Indiana Library Federation Reference Division conference where I’ll be talking about… libraries and technology on Friday at 10 am [flyer]. Right now I am newly back from a six day trip to New York City where I went to a wedding, visited a new library and celebrated my birthday. I just discovered Eric Lease Morgan’s Keynote from ILF annual So you want a new website. He quotes Ranganathan and says really sane things about usability testing, specifically about the idea of ascertaining success.
resources in a post-Katrina world
The LibraryLaw blog has some summaries of libraries’ efforts to get organized, find colleagues and get connected in the aftermath of Katrina. She points to the NOPL list [mentioned here already] as well as AALL’s LawLibAssist blog set up for law librarians to help friends and colleagues. The LA State Library now has a big list of links to help evacuees and refugees and librarians with all the aspects of their post-Katrina lives.
NOPL contact and information list
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of a New Orleans Public Library staffer who may not have called in to work yet, can add their information to this list. We’ve just gotten word here at home that some Loyola Law School students may be coming our way to finish out some of their studies at Vermont Law School. Very interesting change of scenery I’ll bet.