Welcome to the NCLA ORGANIZATION Blog

It's that time again.  Time to elect the NCLA officers for the next biennium.

This year, the election ballot will be online, and NCLA members should receive an email with the URL on or shortly after June 1.  The ballot will be open until June 30, at which time the winners will be announced.

This election will include the following offices:

• Vice-President / President-Elect
• Secretary
• Treasurer-Elect
• Two Directors at Large
• Southeastern Library Association Representative

Information on the individuals running for the offices is available on the NCLA Website at http://www.nclaonline.org/sites/default/files/documents/elections/Election-Slate-2011.doc.

I'm not going to urge you to vote for anyone in particular.  That's for you to decide.  But I am going to urge all NCLA members to vote.  Voting in the NCLA election is one of the privileges of membership, and I hope that every member will exercise that privilege.

There have been elections in the recent past that were decided by just a handful of votes.  Your vote will matter.  So just do it.

One of the most important things that the North Carolina Library Association does is recognize the contributions of professional and paraprofessional librarians and library supporters throughout the state through its several awards, most of which are handed out at the Biennial Conference.

One of the awards that I look forward to most is the William H. Roberts Public Library Distinguished Service Award, funded by and named after my former boss and mentor William H. Roberts, who served for many years as the Director of the Forsyth County Public Library in Winston-Salem.

Bill believed in recognizing people who did a good job, and he was particularly committed to recognizing what he called "unsung heroes and heroines," the people who provide excellent library service day after day without a lot of fanfare and hoopla.

He established the award through the NCLA Public Library Section to bring attention to North Carolina public librarians or public library employees who meet any of the following criteria:

• Someone who has made an impact on services locally, regionally, or statewide
• Someone who has made a contribution via a special event or achievement
• Someone whose body of work or career deserves recognition

Past winners have included: 

• Marian Lytle, Rowan Public Library, Children's Services Supervisor
• Suzanne Tate, Randolph County Public Library, Assistant Director
• June Evans, High Point Public Library, Business Research Services
• Erwin Gunnells, Buncombe County Public Libraries, Director of Preschool Outreach Department
• Diann Ball, Fontana Regional Library, Office Manager

Nominations for the 2011 award are due by August 19, 2011.  For more information, go to http://www.nclaonline.org/public-library/awards-committee

We all know people who work hard to provide great service in our public libraries.  This is your chance to get one of them recognized.  Go nominate someone today. 

 The American Library Association just issued an action alert that NCLA members and others interested in promoting libraries in North Carolina should be aware of.

The full text of the alert is at the American Libraries site, but the important points are these:

• The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a Continuing Resolution, H.R. 1, funding the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011. The House version zeroed out the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program.
• Action now moves to the Senate, which is drafting its own version of the Continuing Resolution.  We need to contact our Senators by email or phone and urge them to make sure that their version:
  • Maintains the 2010 funding level of $213.5 million for the Library Services and Technology Act.
  • Maintains the 2010 funding level of $19.1 million for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program.
• While you have your Senator's attention, remind them how important libraries are in these difficult economic times.  You might be specific about how LSTA helps libraries assist the public with online job searching, résumé preparation, small business development, etc.  You might tell them that the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program helps increase the literacy skills and academic achievement of students.

Advocacy is an important part of what we do as librarians.  Professional associations like NCLA and ALA support librarians in their advocacy efforts.  (You can read the latest report of the NCLA Public Policy Committee to get a feel for the kinds of advocacy efforts that NCLA has been involved in recently.)

Now it's your turn.  Contact that Senator.  Advocate.

Robert

Dr. Robert Burgin
Web Administrator
North Carolina Library Association

"Supporting Librarians in North Carolina"

A few weeks ago, I sent an email survey to the directors of the academic libraries in North Carolina, asking how many had Facebook accounts.

To date, the following academic libraries have written back to say that they have Facebook accounts:

• Barton College, Hackney Library
• Brevard College, J. A. Jones Library
• Campbell University Libraries
• Elizabeth City State University, G. R. Little Library
• Lenoir Rhyne University, Rudisill Library
• Meredith College Library
• Peace College, Lucy Cooper Finch Library
• Wake Forest University, Z. Smith Reynolds Library

There may, of course, be others, but these are the ones that responded to my survey.

If anyone knows of any other academic libraries in the state with Facebook accounts, please share that information in the comments.

Next week, I'll provide a list of North Carolina public libraries on Facebook.

Robert

Dr. Robert Burgin
Web Administrator
North Carolina Library Association