Membership Renewal

Membership renewal notices have been mailed. Beginning with this renewal, NELA is shifting from a calendar year membership to an anniversary date renewal system. The date we receive your membership payment will become your anniversary date. If you have friends or co-workers who would like to join NELA, check out the Member-for-a-Member Program and get a coupon for yourself, good towards reduced dues or conference fees. For more information on NELA membership, check out our Membership area.

NETSL Executive Board Positions Open

The New England Technical Services Librarians (NETSL) Executive Board is committed to promoting and supporting technical services activities in New England. Board members plan and present the annual NETSL Spring Conference. The Board also develops programs for the New England Library Association (NELA) Annual Conference, presents the annual NETSL Award for Excellence in Technical Services, and promotes technical services throughout New England and beyond through partnerships with other similar organizations.

Each year NETSL holds elections to fill open positions on the Board. If you are enthusiastic about innovations in technical services, are interested in contributing to regional technical services programming, and would like to have direct input into the direction of NETSL as an organization, consider running for a position on the NETSL Executive Board. Candidates must be NETSL Members (via membership in NELA) to serve on the board.

The following positions on NETSL's 2010-2011 Executive Board are open:

• Corresponding Secretary (one-year term)
• Recording Secretary (one-year term)
• Treasurer (one-year term)

2010 NELA Scholarships Announced

The New England Library Association Educational Assistance Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 NELA Scholarships:

A Scholarship of $2000 for full-time students goes to:

• Susanna Hall (Syracuse Univ., MA resident)
• Nicole Fonsh (Simmons, MA resident)

Scholarships of $1000 for part-time students go to:

• Carol Anne Geary (Southern Conn., MA resident)
• Alexandra W. Nyary (Simmons, MA resident)

Congratulations to our scholarship winners. View more information about each winner if you wish.

NELA Annual Conference

October 17-19, 2010
Boxborough, MA
Holiday Inn Boxborough
Our theme for this conference is:
"Outside the Box: Results, Support, Sustainability"

Attendee Information:

• Program Schedule and Descriptions
• Mail-in Registration Form
• Hotel Registration Form
• Directions to Hotel

News from the States

Massachusetts – www.masslib.org

MLA has a slate of candidates to present to the Executive Board. Ruth Urell, Director of the Reading Public Library, is the nominee for the position of vice-president/president-elect. Nancy Dellapenna Siegel, Assistant Director of the West Springfield Public Library is the nominee for secretary.

On April 9, the Boston Public Library Board of Trustees approved a proposed $38.9 million budget for the upcoming 2011 fiscal year. The 2011 budget reflects reductions across the entire Boston Public Library system – at the Central Library in Copley Square, in system wide operations, and in the neighborhood branches. The plan keeps twenty-two branches of the Boston Public Library open with their current hours. It also closes four branch buildings: Faneuil (Brighton), Lower Mills (Dorchester), Orient Heights (East Boston), and Washington Village (South Boston). The Boston Public Library Board of Trustees also approved the submittal of the library’s budget recommendation to Mayor Thomas M. Menino to be included in the total City of Boston budget to the Boston City Council. Funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be finalized in the coming months.

Legislative Day was quite successful this year. It was held on Tuesday March 9, 2010. We had 305 library supporters and 44 legislators/aides who signed in. Unfortunately a caucus right at Noon probably cut into our legislator numbers somewhat. The number of legislators/aides was about half of the number in 2009. We will be discussing ways to ensure boosted attendance in the future. Overall the day went well. We had good press coverage all that week, in large part due to the BPL situation. The rally went well, and the speaking program also was successful.

New Hampshire – www.nhlibrarians.org

The New Hampshire Library Association held its first Small Libraries Summit on Friday, April 16, with Sessions titled "New Hampshire Labor Law", "Creating a Welcoming Library", and "You Are Not Alone". Registration was limited and filled to capacity. NHLA hopes to run a similar event in the future.

Vermont – www.vermontlibraries.org

VLA, the Green Mountain Library Consortium, and the Vermont Consortium of Academic Libraries have partnered to create an online resource to help libraries fill short term labor needs, whether for special projects or upcoming staff absences. The site is designed to connect people who would be interested in short term library jobs with libraries which need them. Potential workers will provide information about themselves – whether they are interested in pair or volunteer work, if they have library experience or credentials, etc. – which will be available to libraries in their geographic area. The site is slated to go live on Friday, May 21. It is accessible thru the VLA website at www.vermontlibraries.org. The following individuals will stand for election at this year’s VLA annual meeting on May 25th.

• Joe Ferrara, Johnson State College – Vice-President/President-Elect
• Cindy Webber, Dorothy Alling Memorial Library (Williston) – Chair, Membership Committee
• Rubi Simon, Burnham Memorial Library (Colchester) – Chair, Personnel Committee
• Kip M Roberson, Pierson Library (Shelburne) – NELA/VT Representative

The Public Library Section of VLA recently conducted a series of workshops across the state entitled "Librarian as Social Worker." In addition to the day-to-day patron issues librarians encounter, the VT Dept. of Children & Families is moving to an online environment (state budget and staff cuts) as of July 1.

Maine – www.mainelibraries.org

Plans for the Fall 2010 MLA Conference are moving forward. There was a discussion about the need for a Finance Committee for Conference 2010. There was much discussion about membership and attendance of Maine academic librarians. The Board feels that academic librarians are important to MLA and want to partner and include them in discussions and activities that affect Maine libraries in general. Board member Joyce Rumery offered to contact the academic libraries.

• Theme: Hard Times & Great Expectations
• Dates: October 7 and 8, 2010
• Location: Samoset Resort in Rockport/Camden

Rhode Island – www.olis.ri.gov

Connecticut – www.ctlibraryassociation.org