Graduate and Professional Student Government Grants for Conferences

Don't forget to check out the GPSG Grants! The deadline is coming up soon (in March). Please see the attached poster for more information. When prompted for a password, please enter: GPSG grants.

Best of Luck!

Sarah Gilchrist

GPSG Grant Poster

RSVP for Service Learning/Library Development @ Theodora House!

Hi all! We are planning to travel to Theodora House this Sat 1/29 in order to get started on our project! We will work there from 2-4pm. Please confirm your attendance by emailing me (Nikki)at elinjohn@iupui.edu no later than Thurs 1/27, as we will need to provide a list of authorized visitors to reception before the weekend begins. I look forward to seeing you there!

HB 1100 - Sex Offender Library Ban

Carri Genovese mentioned that Rep. Yarde is proposing a ban on library use for sex offenders. In an effort to support freedom of information, I suggest writing to your representatives to deny this bill. Allowing access to information, especially for those on the fringes of our community, is imperative. I'm including a link to IN.gov's website, so that you may find your representative.

Sarah Gilchrist

IN-gov: http://www.in.gov/sliverheader/Welcome.do?url=http://kyeo-in.egis.39dn.com/
Blogger Commentary on the Bill: http://www.masson.us/blog/?p=7069

Job Hunting?

Make sure that you and your fellow students are signed up for the SLIS-JOBS L Listeserv. You can find instructions for signing up here on the SLIS Bloomington website. This listserv only has announcements of open positions and internships relevant to your MLS degree. Good luck hunting!

Haitian Library Relief Funds Needed

Tomorrow, January 12th, marks the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. I know many of you rallied in the aftermath to provide humanitarian aid. As you are probably aware, ALA has created a Haiti Library Relief Fund to help rebuild libraries that were destroyed by the earthquake.

ALA has chosen to raise funds for three libraries: the Petit Goave Public Library, the Centre Culturel Pyepoudre Community Library, and the Bibliothèque haïtienne des Pères du Saint-Esprit, which was founded in 1873 and held resources documenting the history of Haiti, French colonization, slavery and emancipation.

Even without buildings, staff have been continuing to provide services, visiting displacement camps to provide storytimes or handing out books in front of their demolished storefront library.

ALA has raised and sent over $25,000. The funds have helped to clear and prepare land and create designs for new facilities. Thanks to all who have contributed so far. Our Haitian colleagues are so very grateful for donations from individual members, library staff associations, friends groups, student chapters, and even Cub Scout Pack 77 of Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Unfortunately, much more is needed, as the estimated cost to rebuild just the Petit Goave Public Library is $350,000. I hope you will be able to take the time today or tomorrow to make a donation at www.ala.org/haiti

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Michael Dowling
Director
ALA International Relations Office

CITY COUNTY COUNCIL READ-IN

Sustainable Library Citizens Coalition
CITY COUNTY COUNCIL READ-IN
January 24^th, 2011, 7 p.m.
At the City County Building

The Sustainable Library Citizens Coalition is organizing a letter writing/e-mail campaign to encourage Marion County City County councilors to support a resolution asking the State Legislature to pass legislation that will clearly allow Marion County to use County Income Tax revenues for library operating expenses.

In December, an effort to present such a resolution failed and the January 24^th City County Council meeting will probably be the only opportunity for the Council to support such legislation. State legislators are saying they will not support new legislation without local support.

The Sustainable Library Citizens Coalition is asking its members and other concerned citizens to do the following

· Write or e-mail your district councilor as well as the at-large councilors asking them to support a resolution “asking for state legislation that clearly allows Marion County to use COIT funding for library expenses.”

· Attend a READ-IN on January 24^th at 7 p.m. at the City County Building. Bring a book and an 8” by 11” sign in support of the Library. We want to fill up the council room and the halls outside the room with Library supporters from 7-8 p.m.

If you are writing a letter, please let us know who you wrote. If you are sending an e-mail, copy us at indylibrarycitizenscoalition@g-mail.com. If you can attend the READ-IN on January 24^th, let us know.

Without proactive action in January, we anticipate the announcement of further cuts in library services in May. Cutting library services during a recession is as foolish as closing libraries during a plague.--

Amy Shackelford
317 395 4430

http://indy.gov/eGov/Council/Councillors/Pages/map.aspx

http://maps.indy.gov/GovProfile/

Four At Large Councilors

Ed Coleman
edward.coleman@
gmail.com
Phone: 327-4242
Libertarian

Barbara Malone
barbara_malone@
sbcglobal.net
Phone: 291-4359
Republican

Angel Rivera
riveraforcouncil@gmail.com
Phone: 331-5915
Republican

Joanne Sanders
jmsanders@msn.com
Phone: 283-6040
Minority Leader - Democrat

ALA Conference

Thinking about traveling to the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans this summer? Well we are too, and several of us have started to look for grants to help us pay for it. One resource I found was the San Jose School of Library and Information Science, which has a great list of travel grants for students.

Has anyone else found any good resources for travel help?