California Library Association: Weblog Home

CLA Weblog Submissions

To navigate our archives, please click on a category to the left. Do you have information that would be of interest to the library community? Please send your weblog submissions to the CLA office at info@cla-net.org.

Inside CLA

May 7, 2010

Update: Conference Proposal Review

We've been delighted at the enthusiastic response to CLA's call for conference proposals; 218 have been received and it certainly looks like we have some excellent proposals to choose from. We were glad that so many people used our new submittal software and would love to hear what you thought of the process, especially if you have used ScholarOne in the past.

And because of the terrific response we received, we are extending our date for proposal status notification to July 1. We want to be sure we present the best possible schedule of programs for CLA members, and give each proposal review the time and attention it deserves. We are also working to coordinate CLA program planning with the California School Library Association to avoid duplications and fill program gaps. All of this takes time and we're grateful for your patience.

Many thanks for submitting your proposal, and we look forward to a wonderful conference in November.

Submitted by:

The 2010 CLA Conference Committee

Posted by claadmin at 3:53 PM

March 26, 2010

CLA and San José State University SLIS Announce New Partnership

FOLSOM, CA - The California Library Association (CLA) and San José State University School of Library and Information Science (SJSU SLIS) are proud to announce a new partnership that will benefit SLIS students and the library community at large. Under this venture, there will be greater student involvement on CLA Committees as well as the Board of Directors. Furthermore, there will be stronger collaboration on mentorship programs between students and career librarians.

CLA President Kim Bui-Burton, stated "CLA is excited for the opportunity to have more valuable interaction with the students, faculty and staff of the SJSU SLIS program. We look forward to the positive impact this interaction will bring for CLA members and the California library community." For more information on this partnership please contact Holly Macriss, CLA Executive Director, at hollym@cla-net.org.

# # #

About the California Library Association

Established in 1895, the California Library Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services, librarianship, and the library community. CLA helps its 3,000 members excel in a fast-changing job market and is a resource for learning about new ideas and technology. Furthermore, CLA is a leading advocate on all statewide library issues and actively works to influence legislation affecting libraries and librarians. Governed by an elected Board of Directors, CLA is headquartered in Folsom, California. More information may be obtained at www.cla-net.org

About the San Jose Staté University School of Library and Information Science

The School of Library and Information Science at San José State University is the largest accredited library and information science program in the world. The SJSU SLIS office is located on the San José State University campus. By means of the school's online program, students are served throughout the entire state of California as well as other states and nations. More information may be obtained at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu

Official Press Release

Submitted by:

CLA Staff

Posted by claadmin at 11:29 AM

February 1, 2010

California Library Association Names New Executive Director

FOLSOM, CA - Kim Bui-Burton, 2009-2010 California Library Association (CLA) President, has announced the selection of Holly Macriss as the Association's new Executive Director, effective February 1, 2010.

Ms. Macriss brings over 12 years of association management experience, and most recently served as the Executive Director of the Western Carwash Association (WCA). During her tenure at WCA, Holly developed the organization's first working budget in its 25-year history, reduced operating expenses, grew and enhanced membership, and also implemented a long-range plan.

In making the announcement, CLA President Bui-Burton stated that she is "delighted that Holly will serve our association as our new Executive Director. Holly brings extensive non-profit association management experience to the position, which will help CLA move forward and Navigate the New."

According to Ms. Macriss, "To be part of an organization that means so much to our communities is an honor. I am excited to partnering with the CLA Board of Directors, members and other industry leaders in moving CLA forward and representing California's librarians."

Ms. Macriss takes over for CEO Michael M. Reyna, who assisted the California Library Association in its operations during December of 2009. California Library Association President Bui-Burton said, "We would like to thank Mr. Reyna for his invaluable assistance during his brief tenure, and on behalf of the Board, wish him well in his new position at the State of California."

About the California Library Association

More information may be obtained at www.cla-net.org

Printable Press Release (87k)

Posted by claadmin at 8:36 AM

December 11, 2009

California Library Association Names New Chief Executive Officer

FOLSOM, CA - Kim Bui-Burton, 2009-2010 California Library Association (CLA) President, has announced the selection of Michael M. Reyna as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2009.

Mr. Reyna was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Prior to his time with CAOC, Michael was appointed and confirmed by the U. S. Senate to serve on the Farm Credit Administration Board of Directors for a six-year term, concluding in 2004.

In making the announcement, CLA President Bui-Burton stated that she is "delighted that Mr. Reyna will serve our association as our new executive. Michael brings extensive association and management experience to the position, which will be a real asset for us."

According to Mr. Reyna, "I look forward to working with the California Library Association Board to advance the Association's agenda on behalf of California's libraries, librarians and the people who depend upon them."

Mr. Reyna takes over for Interim Executive Director Claudia Foutz, who had assisted the California Library Association Board during its search for a new executive. California Library Association President Bui-Burton said, "Ms. Foutz's assistance during this transition was invaluable and on behalf of the Board, we wish to thank her for her service."

About the California Library Association

More information may be obtained at www.cla-net.org

Printable Press Release (113 k)

Posted by claadmin at 3:11 PM

November 25, 2009

CLA joins the Association Resource Center

On December 1st, 2009, the California Library Association officially entered into contract with the Association Resource Center (ARC) in Folsom, CA.

The Association Resource Center (www.4arc.com) specializes in association conference planning, management, and providing operational resources to the businesses it serves. Utilizing ARC's resources, CLA will be able to accelerate its revitalizion as an association, thanks in part to ARC's talented staff, wealth of knowledge pooled from multiple associations under contract as well as nearly 30 years of association management experience.

Utilizing this "economies of scale" model, CLA staff will be able to shift their focus onto forward-thinking tasks that will go to better serve CLA members and the library community at large. Additionally, staff will be able to collaborate with experts in a wide array of associations that are housed within ARC's offices. With these benefits at hand, we as staff are excited to enter this new partnership.

As such, the California Library Association has a new address, telephone, and fax number:

California Library Association
950 Glenn Drive, Suite 150
Folsom, CA 95630
Phone: 916.233.3298
Fax: 916.932.2209

Along with CLA's transition within ARC, the Association has added three new staff members:

Gretel MacLeod
Membership Services Associate
gretelm@cla-net.org

Dawn Wood
Staff Accountant
dawnw@cla-net.org

Kevin Kilkenny
Legislative Analyst
kevink@cla-net.org

CLA's new staff will collaborate with newly-appointed Executive Director, Holly Macriss, as well as Meetings & Conference Director, Stephen Hamilton.

We look forward to serving you, our members, in the coming year.

Submitted to California Libraries by:

CLA Staff

Updated February 5th, 2010

Posted by claadmin at 9:28 AM

Your New Leadership Development Committee

We are now firmly operating under the new CLA bylaws that took effect in July of this year. Those bylaws established a brand new standing committee called the Leadership Development Committee to be chaired each year by the Immediate Past President. The committee members have staggered 3 year terms. When this committee was conceived, the idea was to have an internal CLA mechanism to identify and grow members for leadership roles in CLA so that candidates for election will be selected for skill sets rather than "popularity" and name recognition alone. This committee also serves as the nominations committee for CLA elections.

The Committee met for the first time at conference. Members to the committee are appointed by the sitting President, so I appointed this group while still President and will chair this committee for one year as Immediate Past President. I wanted the group to be representative of current leaders, up and coming leaders, and diversity in library and skills. As such, I am proud to introduce to you your very first Leadership Development Committee members:

Stacey Aldrich - State Librarian
Keri Botello - UCLA
Wayne Disher - Director, Hemet Public Library
Carey Gross - Literacy Coordinator, Butte County Library
Sandy Vella - UC Davis
Rosario Garza - CEO of SCLC
Gail McPartland - Deputy Director, Contra Costa County Library
Cheryl Gould - Consultant and trainer for Infopeople
Rivkah Sass - Director, Sacramento Public Library

Members have chosen staggered terms of 1-3 years so there will be vacancies each year for the next CLA President to fill. We all owe these talented individuals our thanks for taking on the "birth" of this committee. I feel very lucky to be working with them this year.

At our first meeting we established our overarching value as inclusiveness. We want to reach deep into the membership and identify members with the skills and interest to work in the governance of our organization. We will be looking for future CLA leaders who are ADROIT:

Accessible

Diverse

Refreshed

Open

Inspirational

Transparent

We established a timeline for elections next year, will be working on a message to be sent to the membership seeking those interested in working with CLA, and will be working on a "curriculum" for Board of Directors training. There has never been a formal Board training program, and speaking from experience, we very much need one.

In the future the committee may discuss and recommend campaign guidelines so everyone running for office has the opportunity to introduce themselves fully to the voting members.

Our next meetings will be virtual and start in the new year. This new committee has an important charge and we hope that as its first members we will set the stage for a very successful CLA leadership succession and election process for the future.

Submitted to California Libraries by:

Barbara Roberts
CLA Immediate Past President

Posted by claadmin at 9:25 AM

November 23, 2009

CLA-Drexel Online Partnership Benefits CLA Members

Members receive a 20% tuition reduction on top-ranked information science programs

Drexel University Online recently formed a new educational partnership with the California Library Association. Through this partnership, CLA members are entitled to receive a 20% tuition reduction on online programs offered through The iSchool at Drexel (College of Information Science and Technology). Drexel Online is pleased to offer CLA members the opportunity to advance their education in a convenient online format at reduced tuition rates.

Drexel's MS in Library and Information Science is ranked among the top 10 library science programs in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. This ALA-accredited program is available to CLA members online as well as face-to-face at Drexel University's Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento. With access to classes online 24/7, CLA members can earn a distinguished degree without career interruption.
"We are thrilled to partner with such a forward-thinking organization and we look forward to supporting CLA's commitment to improve library service and education throughout California," said Dr. Kenneth Hartman, Academic Director of Drexel University Online. "This non-exclusive partnership offers CLA members a convenient and affordable way to advance their education and develop the skills necessary to move up in the field of library science and information systems."

David E. Fenske, Dean of the iSchool, adds, "We value our relationship with the California Library Association, and are pleased to be in the state offering another educational choice to California residents. The iSchool maintains a physical presence in California through the Drexel University Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento, as well as the online program, providing students with both online and on-campus course options."

For more information about Drexel University Online and to apply online at no cost, visit www.drexel.com/cla. CLA members, be sure to enter "CLA" as your partner affiliation code on your application to receive your reduced tuition rates.

Please contact your partnership liaison with any questions:

Valerie Malinowski
CLA-Drexel Online Partnership Liaison
(215) 895-0915
www.drexel.com/cla

Posted by claadmin at 3:49 PM

November 4, 2009

CLA Announces New Host for CALIX Listserv

The California Library Association announces that it will be soon relocating the CALIX listserv to its new host, thanks in part to UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Our organization is grateful to San Jose State University for hosting CALIX since 1995.

The previous CALIX listserv is no longer accessible. However, both CLA and UCLA staff & leadership are working quickly to reinstate the free flow of communication between California's library community.

Posted by claadmin at 4:54 PM

Response to Dr. Ken Haycock's Open Letter

Dear Library Community,

I was shocked and deeply saddened to read the CALIX posting regarding the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science severing its unique relationship with the California Library Association. We very much regret that the senior management team has come to this conclusion.

The CLA Board is committed to building bridges and strengthening relationships with all providers and supporters of library services across California, and engaging new leaders in the future of CLA. As the 2009-2010 CLA President (and a proud alumnus of SJSU School of LIS) I look forward to finding ways to work with SJSU administrators, faculty and students to re-establish effective relations.

From Dr. Haycock's most recent communication to the previous Board, I believe that this issue is now closed. Our work as the new Board will be to move CLA forward for the future. I am excited and energized to be working with all of you, as I noted in my speech to the General Membership, demonstrating integrity, clarity and transparency in everything we do for the future of California libraries and communities.

Again, I am happy to be contacted with any follow-up questions you may have. My cell is 831-601-0934 - I will be heading into the Grand Canyon and Zion areas for the next few days so will respond as soon as I am able.

Many thanks,

Kim Bui-Burton
CLA President

Posted by claadmin at 10:33 AM

October 12, 2009

2009 Annual Report

Beyond Intuition - Planning For Transformation

Whenever there is need for change within an organization, several choices of action are available. One would be to react in panic and revert to past practice. Another would be to jump headfirst into the new situation and build upon the weak foundation of the old structure. However, the best practice for instituting lasting change is assessing, evaluating and careful planning for the organization's future. This process also includes preserving best practices and enhancing core programs that provide value to members.

With the number of significant changes experienced by CLA in this past year the best choice was to hold, assess, evaluate, and manage - sometimes one day at a time. Consider the major changes to our organization in the last 12 months: a supporting membership vote to change the bylaws and governance structure of the organization; the departure of our Executive Director; searching for, hiring and orienting an interim Executive Director; the loss of 1.75 of the 2 remaining office staff; the completion and resultant ramifications of a first ever business assessment report; the sale of the downtown building and moving of the CLA offices; two full recruitments for a permanent Executive Director; a RFP process to select an association management company; and a nationwide economic recession. All of these changes had a significant impact our organization's short-term fiscal health.

Yes, this year has been a very tough one for the organization. Yet what an amazing opportunity these challenges have provided for CLA to become stronger. The old adage, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" can certainly be applied to all of us in CLA this year. Yet we have not only maintained the services members expect from CLA, we've actually launched some new ones. This report summarizes the advocacy, educational and innovative activities that have filled the CLA community this past year on behalf of our members. Here are highlights from the report:

Continued and coordinated the statewide summer reading program and, "Spring Fling" workshops sponsored by CLA Interest Groups; and received a grant invitation from the prestigious David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Continued a strong legislative presence at the state and local levels that included retaining current levels of the PLF and TBR while assertively lobbying for ARRA stimulus dollars for broadband connectivity.

Completed a Transition Tool Kit to help members better understand the new CLA governance structure

Debuted the monthly electronic newsletter "California Libraries", published two editions of the CLA magazine "Clarion", and established our presence on two social networks, Facebook and Twitter.

Joined the Urban Libraries Council as an institutional member providing CLA with access to critical forecasting and research information.

All of this activity happened simultaneously with the completion of a thorough business assessment of CLA. This assessment gave your leadership guidance for growing our organization in the best way possible.

And the reason CLA could withstand all the change and still operate and produce is a direct result of YOU, the members. You kept volunteering, working, and supporting your leadership. And all of us have been supported by our Interim Executive Director, Claudia Foutz, our new Membership, Marketing and Communications Manager, Richard Berta, and the continuing assistance of Laura Fisher our prior long time Administrative Director. As President this team provided me and the Board with the performance, information and advice we needed to advance through this year of challenges.

I believe that with the information we now possess about our finances and organizational structural needs, we are perfectly poised to enter into the next phase of CLA's growth-planning for a strong future. The next couple of years will entail a strategic planning process that will "Reach Out!" to all our members, other library organizations, and incorporate some of the best practices from other state library associations.

I am proud of the way we embraced major change and chose to reassess our association in the strongest possible light. CLA is now prepared for a transformation into an organization that will be exciting, relevant and flexible. We will be an organization whose decisions are based on knowledge, data and our rich history.

I can't think of a more exciting time to have had both the honor and humbling experience of being your President.

Barbara Roberts
2009 CLA President

2009 Annual Report (914k)

Posted by claadmin at 10:55 AM

August 26, 2009

Call for Nominees

The California Library Association welcomes your suggestions for nominees to run for office in CLA's Fall 2009 Election. You are encouraged to nominate yourself or your peers for the following positions:

Vice President/President Elect (21k PDF)
Treasurer (22k PDF)
Board Member (22k PDF)

If you are interested in serving your Association in one of these positions, you may either nominate yourself using the Self-Nomination Form or nominate one of your peers using the Member Nomination Form. Please submit your completed form(s) to the CLA office by September 4th. Potential nominees will be contacted for more information.

Nominees must be current CLA members with experience in governance, leadership, state projects and/or public policy. They should also possess the ability and resources to participate in meetings and committee work as well as commit to supporting membership in CLA.

If you have any questions, please contact Monique LeConge, Chair of the 2009 Nominations Committee or the CLA office.

Serving in an elected position is rewarding, professionally and personally. We hope to hear from you soon!

Posted by claadmin at 12:20 PM

July 16, 2009

CLA Special Election Results Announced

The Special Election of the next CLA Vice-President/President-Elect has ended. By receiving 53% majority of votes, CLA is proud to announce Kim-Bui Burton as the next Vice-President/President-Elect. Voter turnout in this election was 14%, fulfilling the bylaws requirement of at least 10% member participation.

Ms. Bui-Burton, currently Director of the Monterey Public Library, will assume her role immediately. Many thanks to the Nominating Committee and to all our candidates.

2009 SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS
Eligible Voters: 2713
Ballots received online and paper: 370
Percentage voting 14%

Vice President/President Elect
Kim Bui-Burton 53
Julie Farnsworth 47%

Posted by claadmin at 10:37 AM

June 22, 2009

Vote Now in CLA's Special Election

CLA is holding a special election for Vice-President/President-Elect. Voting begins today (6/22) and will end at 5:00 pm on July 13, 2009.

In order to vote online, visit http://rsmart.ca/VoteCLA, and log in with your CLA Member ID and Password.

Once you log in, you will be able to vote. Links to the candidate biographies are provided on the ballot, but if you'd like to look at them in advance, their information is available on our website. If you wish to vote by paper ballot, please contact the CLA office no later than July 2.

Join us in thanking the CLA Nominations Committee, chaired by Monique le Conge, Immediate Past President, for all their hard work. Thank you also to the candidates, Kim Bui-Burton and Julie Farnsworth, for their willingness to step forward and be considered for this important leadership position in CLA.

Please exercise your membership privilege, and VOTE in this election! With the resignation of our former President-elect, this election is so very important to the progression of CLA leadership. Your participation in this effort will help shape the direction of CLA during the next year.

Thank you for taking time to cast your vote in this special election. Our regular annual election will be held in September.

VOTE NOW!

Posted by claadmin at 2:09 PM

June 18, 2009

Executive Committee Meeting Highlights

June 12, 2009

The CLA Executive Committee (EC) conducts a minimum of four meetings per year and one leadership-training meeting. EC Highlights are provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered official actions of the EC. Approved EC minutes can be obtained by requesting a copy from CLA Staff at info@cla-net.org. The EC highlights are produced within one week of each meeting and are made available to help keep our members and the public informed of EC actions and policy discussions.

The following summarizes the meeting:

President's Report

CLA President Barbara Roberts reported that Cindy Mediavilla accepted the permanent editorship of the Clarion. In keeping with the CLA theme of "going green," CLA will, in the future, be offering an electronic version of the magazine to members and limited paper copies. The next issue will be dedicated to the "New CLA."

She also reported on her involvement in the ALA National Legislative Day, noting that California had over 40 members attending. Meetings, stressing continuation of LSTA funding, were held with the staff of Senators Boxer and Feinstein as well as each person's Representative.

She advised members that over the past month, CLA and the CLA lobbyists were working to insure that we had a representative appointed to the California ICT Digital Literacy Leadership Council and ICT Literacy Advisory Committee. She reported that the Governorâ€™s office has added CLA representation to both bodies. A letter recommending Stephanie Sterling Brasley, Manager of Information Literacy Initiatives, CSU Office of the Chancellor, was forwarded to Joe Camicia, the Chief of Staff to the Chief Information Officer, who will be handling the processing of appointment requests.

Consent Agenda

The EC approved Minutes for meetings and/or mail ballots of April 14, May 5 and May 22nd and the Treasurers report for the first quarter and through May 2009.

Action Items

Nominations for VP/President Elect: In the absence of the Immediate Past President Monique le Conge, Barbara Roberts reported that the Nominations Committee has selected two candidates to run for the 2009 VP/President elect: Kim Bui-Burton, Monterey Public Library and Julie Farnsworth, Pleasanton Public Library. The election will run from approximately June 22 to July 13, 2009. Barbara Roberts advised that she will spend time with the VP/President Elect to help orient her to the position. No action was necessary.

Resolution for Judith Krug: The EC approved a resolution recognizing Judith Krug for her contribution to the library community. The resolution will be forwarded by Les Kong to ALA for inclusion in a national recognition of her contributions.

Association Management Company RFP proposal: The committee discussed and approved the RFP to obtain an Association Management Company to manage CLA operations, noting that it was complete in content, direction and timeline. They gave further direction to the Interim Executive Director on suggested outreach, including the search for nationally certified California Association Management firms. The Interim Executive Director advised the committee that she would provide electronic copies of the document and attachments to interested parties and have them distributed starting Monday June 15, 2009.

Program Updates and Reports

Cindy Mediavilla, Chair of the Conference committee provided a report by telephone. She advised that the committee is adhering to their timeline, highlighted the things that will make this a greener conference and the strategies for obtaining sponsorships.

The committee discussed the recommendations of the ROI Task Force and agreed that the report should be provided to the new ED with direction to meet with the State Librarian to determine if there is value in developing this further as part of the library statistical measurements. The Interim Executive Director will include this report in the Executive Director briefing binder with a notation to report his/her findings to the EC.

Les Kong gave a brief ALA update and agreed to complete and return the ALA Assessment Survey completed by the President and Interim Executive Director and include his Chapter/Councilor input. He will also forward the Resolution on Judith Krug to ALA.

Executive Director Interviews

The EC continued their interviews of potential Executive Director Candidates.

Final Announcements

Executive Director Search: The committee announced that it has placed the search for an Executive Director on hold until CLA has successfully contracted with an Association Management Company.

E-newsletter update: CLA staff, report on the status of the development of a monthly E-Newsletter. Staff presented the EC with an issue memo that identified the work completed to date in evaluating numerous software companies and obtaining satisfaction information from three associations. Based on staff's review, staff recommended that CLA use MailChimp. With the consensus of the EC, staff will continue development over the next month with a planned launch date of mid July 2009.

The next Executive Committee Meeting Date is set for October 30, 2009, Pasadena. This will be the last meeting of the Executive Committee. At the conclusion of the 2009 Conference, the new CLA Board of Directors will become operational.

Posted by claadmin at 3:37 PM

June 16, 2009

Call for Proposals

The California Library Association is looking for an Association Management Company (accreditation preferred) to manage all CLA programs.

CLA plays a major role in the state in providing representation in the Capitol to protect library funding and critical programs. In addition, CLA provides extensive leadership opportunities, educational workshops, communication network, products and services as well as professional development through its annual conference, its midyear local Spring Fling education programs, and through its interest groups.

CLA's vision is to capitalize on its current position in the state, and provide more extensive education, services and products to the library community to ensure that libraries continue to be the lifeblood within the community. By aligning itself with a fully staffed company, CLA will be in a position to use cutting edge technology to deliver its products and services.

Transition is planned for late fall or early winter.

For information and a copy of the "Request for Proposal" with accompanying documentation, please contact:

Claudia Foutz, Interim Executive Director at cfoutz@cla-net.org.

All applications must be submitted electronically by July 13, 2009.

Posted by claadmin at 4:55 PM

April 1, 2009

CLA is now on Facebook!

Become a fan of the California Library Association on www.facebook.com!

Our company page contains detailed event descriptions, photos, contact information, discussion boards and will be updated regularly. Fans can post questions on our wall, discuss topics in multiple discussion boards, as well as add photos to upcoming or past events. We hope to provide you with not only great way to keep in touch with the Association, but also stay in contact with your fellow members.

If you have a facebook account, please login using this link. Once at our company page, click on "Become a Fan" to stay in touch with all the latest updates. See you there!

Posted by claadmin at 10:24 AM

March 27, 2009

Follow CLA on Twitter!

Have you taken part in the Twitter phenomenon? If so, be sure to follow CLA's Twitter feed for the latest news and happenings within the library industry.

http://twitter.com/CalLibAssoc

If you haven't joined Twitter yet, it's easy to sign up, and we encourage both members and non-members to join. Register here and be sure to add CalLibAssoc to your feed!

Posted by claadmin at 12:38 PM

December 19, 2008

Happy Holidays from CLA!

The CLA Executive Committee and staff wish our members and partners peace and prosperity during this holiday season and throughout the coming year. We are thankful for your collaboration and appreciate the talents and commitments you have provided to the association and library communities.

Please be reminded that our office will be closed from December 25th to January 2nd.

Happy New Year!

Posted by claadmin at 3:43 PM

December 12, 2008

2008 Annual Membership Meeting Minutes

CLA Annual Membership Meeting
Sunday, November 16, 2008
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA

Call to Order

The Annual CLA membership meeting was called to order at approximately 9:50am
by President Monique le Conge. She made opening remarks of welcome.

Appointment of the Minutes Review Committee

CLA operates its meetings under Roberts Rules of Order. Because this body will
not meet again in its current form, three CLA members were appointed to serve
as the Minutes Review Committee. Their task will be to review and approve the
minutes of the meeting. Kathy Sanford, David McFadden and Paymaneh Maghsoudi
agreed to serve in this capacity.

Adoption of the Agenda

MSC (Lisa Bartle/Barbara Quarton) to adopt the agenda as presented.

Introductions and announcements

Monique introduced the 2008 Executive Committee and asked that they stand and
be recognized.

Reports to the Membership

Written reports from the President, Treasurer and Executive Director were
distributed at the meeting. Monique summarized her written report and informed
members that the Governance re-organization will be implemented July 1, 2009.
Annette Milliron DeBacker, Treasurer, briefly summarized her report. She noted
the association ended the year about $74,365 in the black. She advised members
that there will be some significant transition expenses this year and they
will be identified by a side note in the 2008/09 Budget documents. She said
the good news is that CLA has a very healthy reserve so the expenses will
easily be covered. Monique noted that the membership was provided a written
report of the prior Executive Director. There were no questions pertaining to
that report. Claudia Foutz was introduced as the Interim Executive Director
and gave a lively, interactive welcome to members of CLA.

Unfinished Business

There was no unfinished business.

New Business

The membership was provided a copy of a Resolution for Susan Negreen's service
to CLA over the past 9 years.

Passing the Gavel

Monique le Conge presented Barbara Roberts with the CLA President's pin.
Barbara Roberts presented Monique le Conge with a plaque acknowledging her
term of office and contribution to CLA. Barbara Roberts then recognized her
daughter in the audience and outlined her vision and 2009 Conference Theme of
"Reach Out" for her term as President.

Adjournment

Being there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately
10:28 am.

MSC. (Lisa Bartle/Barbara Quarton) To adjourn.

Minutes prepared by Claudia Foutz, December 3, 2008

Approved by:
David McFadden
Kathy Sanford
Paymaneh Maghsoudi

Posted by claadmin at 12:12 PM

November 21, 2008

2008 Annual Report

At the beginning of my presidential year, there were several activities that I knew we would be involved with most of the year. Fortunately, with the help of the CLA Office, the members, and the staff in Richmond, I believe it was a successful year.

Perhaps the biggest project this year was the Bylaws changes, which were approved overwhelmingly by the membership in the recent election. Approval of these changes indicates your desire for a new way of reaching members, providing value, and making CLA a flexible organization. However, our work is not yet done! During this upcoming year, the Assembly, the Executive Committee, all the Committees and Round Tables, and the members themselves will experience a year of transition work. Some changes will be implemented fairly quickly so that we can begin developing leaders for the next 20 years. I urge you to participate as much as you can, because your input will be invaluable.

Technologically, there were changes and improvements this year as well. The CLA website continues to grow with the additional Forum Message Boards and a President's Blog, among other resources. I was especially excited about the special project for mentoring that took place in Second Life. I know that some of you were very excited about this opportunity to mentor new members and new librarians in a virtual space. Because of geographical limitations, many of you had never mentored. Second Life gives you the opportunity even if you are a distance away from your mentee. Additionally, CLA has an office in Second Life. If you've never visited it, please take a moment to drop by.

Before I leave office, I am appointing a task force to look at return on investment for libraries in California. I am charging a task force to examine whether or not it is feasible for ROI to be calculated for California. ROI can be a useful tool when advocating for libraries and funding. This is potentially a leadership area for CLA, and in our role as advocates for libraries in California, it makes sense. I don't want to commit resources to this task, however, unless it is something that will be useful, thus, the task force. Barbara Roberts is supportive of this idea and feels that it's something I should continue during my year as Immediate Past President.

Last, the departure of Susan Negreen as Executive Director for CLA provides us with the opportunity to evaluate the day-to-day activities and operations of the organization. We wish Sue the best in her future endeavors. During this interim period, the Executive Committee has retained the services of Claudia Foutz, of the Foutz and Young Group, to serve as Interim Executive Director. Claudia will work with the elected representatives of CLA to examine exactly what CLA's goals and objectives are, especially in terms of the revised Bylaws. Based on her analysis of our operations, she will make recommendations that will allow us to choose the best management structure for CLA.

It's been an honor to be your president during such an exciting time. Thank you all for your support!

Monique le Conge, 2008 CLA President

2008 Annual Report (97k)

Posted by claadmin at 11:47 AM

November 5, 2008

California Library Association Names Interim Executive Director

The President of the California Library Association, Monique A. le Conge, announced today that the CLA Executive Committee has named Claudia Foutz from the Foutz & Young Group, as the Association's Interim Executive Director. According to le Conge, Ms. Foutz was hired to assess the current association's business functions and help determine the best management business structure for the future. She will also be responsible for the day to day operations and will assist in helping the association transition in to a new business model that will thrive in a digital, mobile and virtual world.

Foutz has a tenured career in assessing both non-profit and government agencies and helping to determine the best structure for excellence, optimal performance, association growth and financial stability. Known as a change agent by many, Ms. Foutz was publically credited for a complete turn around of the Arizona Medical Board in 2004 bringing them to number 1 in the nation for regulatory performance. Before establishing her consulting business, Ms. Foutz served as CEO of several state associations and government agencies.

The California Library Association (CLA), founded in 1895 and headquartered in Sacramento, provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services, librarianship, and the library community. Our members include libraries, library staff and individuals who care about California's libraries.

Posted by claadmin at 2:41 PM

October 31, 2008

Resolution for SJSU

Whereas, the California Library Association provides a statewide network of career resources and professional development opportunities for library staff in California and advocates for library services with state and local decision makers; AND

Whereas, there is a need to grow leaders and recruit new talent to librarianship; AND

Whereas, library school students are the future of the profession of librarianship; AND

Whereas, San Jose State University is the first library school in the state and one of the few library schools nationally, to provide joint student memberships to the American Library Association and the California Library Association for incoming library students; AND

Whereas, San Jose State University is the largest ALA accredited library school in the world; AND

Whereas, the California Library Association highly values this partnership with its San Jose State University colleagues as we work together to strengthen libraries and further develop the expertise and leadership skills of librarians in the state of California;

Therefore be it resolved by the Assembly of the California Library Association to:

Express our deepest appreciation, and commend Dr. Ken Haycock, Director of the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science, and the faculty and staff of the SJSU SLIS, for their generous support of joint student memberships in CLA and ALA;

Charge the ALA Chapter Councilor from California to submit a similar resolution at the next ALA Council meeting;

Post a copy of this resolution on the CLA weblog located at www.cla-net.org/weblog for members and non-members to view; and

Send a copy of this resolution to the San Jose State University School of Library & Information Science.

Dated the 15th Day of April 2008
Sacramento, California

Printable Resolution (323k)

Posted by claadmin at 3:39 PM

July 17, 2008

Members To Vote on Revised Bylaws During Upcoming Election

The upcoming CLA election will include a vote on revised bylaws for CLA. There has been a great deal of discussion already, but we wanted members to see the proposed bylaws before we launch voting. We have prepared some questions and answers about these changes, as well.

The election will begin in mid-August, and members will have 30 days to vote. Members eligible to vote were informed about the possibility of requesting a paper ballot through a postcard that went out in the last few weeks.

Please let the office know if you have any questions about these bylaw changes, or the election.

Proposed Bylaws (92k)
Bylaws Q&A (19k)

Posted by claadmin at 3:44 PM

July 10, 2008

2008 CLA Election Slate Announced

The 2008 CLA Nominations Committee has announced the preliminary slate of candidates for the 2008-09 CLA election. Electronic voting will occur in mid-August, and winners will take office in November, following the annual conference. Members will have the option of requesting a paper ballot. All voting members of CLA will have an opportunity to vote for CLA officers and Assembly representatives elected at-large. Section members will also be able to vote for section officers and section representatives to the Assembly. Sections that do not submit candidates for the ballot will conduct special elections after the conference.

Individuals may be added to the ballot by petition. Properly completed petitions must be submitted to the Executive Director, Sue Negreen, CAE, within 25 days of publication of this report. Nominations for vice president/president elect require the signature of 2 percent of the voting members of CLA (54 signatures are needed). Nominations by petition for Assembly-at-large positions require 25 signatures of voting members of the association.

This year's ballot will also include proposed revisions to the CLA Bylaws. Your voice in the association is important. Watch for your ballot, and vote!

Preliminary Election Slate 2008-09

Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Susan R. Gallinger, Director of Library Services, Livermore Public Library
Dr Ken Haycock, Director, San Jose School of Library and Information Science, San Jose State University

Candidates for ALA Chapter Councilor
Xiaoli Li, Head of Serials Department, Shield Library, UC Davis
Les Kong, Head, Public Services, CSU San Bernardino

Candidates for Assembly Members-at-Large
(Six positions to be filled)
Sigrid Hudson, Children's Services Supervisor, City of Commerce Public Library
Heather Pizzuto, Director, Carlsbad City Library
WenWen Zhang, Community Library Manager, Hacienda Heights Library, County of Los Angeles Public Library
Loretta McKinney, Director of Library Services, Murrieta Public Library
Laura Einstadter, Amador County Librarian, Amador County Library
Gail Haar, Director of County Library Services, Marin County Free Library
Darla Gunning, Technical Services Manager, California State Library
Hillary Theyer, Senior Librarian, Torrance Public Library
Fannie Love, Assistant Regional Administrator, North Region-County of Los Angeles Public Library
Greg Mullen, Director, Santa Monica Public Library
Donna Corbeil, Director of Library Services, Berkeley Public Library

Section Elections
Academic Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Sandy Vella, Head Library Instruction Services, UC Davis
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Roxane BenVau, Media Librarian, Grossmont College

Candidates for Assembly Representative
Virginia (Ginny) Evans-Perry, Public Services Librarian, San Bernardino Valley College
Candidate needed

Access, Collections & Technical Services Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Mary Cohen, Technical Services Dept. Head, Palo Verdes Library District
Peter Nguyen, Librarian, Daly City Library

Candidate for Secretary
Bie-Hwa Chen Ma, Chinese Language Electronic Resources Cataloging Librarian, Shared Cataloging Program Unit, University of California, San Diego

Children & Young Adult Services Section
Candidate for President (to fill unexpired term)
Pat Downs, Youth Services Manager, San Diego County Library
Marisa Perley, Young Readers Assistant Manager, Palos Verdes Library District

Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Candidate needed
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Allyson Goodwin, Library Assistant, Children's Services, Carlsbad City Library

Information Technology Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Monica M. Schultz, IT Director, Peninsula Library System
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Mark Lager, Library Technology Manager, Ventura County Library
B.J. Combs, Families First

Literacy Services Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Alan Archer, Literacy Coordinator, Nevada County Library
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Valerie Hardie, Literacy Program Administrator, San Diego Public Library-READ/San Diego

Management Services Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Hilary Keith, Library Director, Santa Fe Springs Public Library
Paula Weiner, City Librarian, Torrance Public Library

Candidate for Secretary
Kathleen M. Wade, Regional Services Manager, North Region, Orange County Public Libraries

Candidates for Assembly Representative
Stephanie Beverage, Regional Services Manager, Orange County Public Library
Candidate needed

Public Library Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Cornelia van Aken, Assistant Director, Palo Alto City Library
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Candidate needed

Candidates for Assembly Representative
Barbara Flynn, Deputy Director, San Diego County Library
Candidate needed

Reference Services Section
Candidates for Vice President/President Elect
Candidate needed
Candidate needed

Candidate for Secretary
Candidate needed

Posted by claadmin at 11:02 AM

June 23, 2008

2008 CLA Election is Delayed

We wanted to let members know the CLA election for 2008 is running behind schedule. As soon as the slate is complete, we will announce it and give members an opportunity to petition for inclusion on the ballot. Thirty days later, voting will begin. We hope that we will be able to announce the slate shortly.

In the meantime, if you have questions about the election, please feel free to contact Margaret Todd, Chair of the Committee at mdtodd@library.lacounty.gov, or contact Sue Negreen, CLA Executive Director at snegreen@cla-net.org.

Posted by claadmin at 4:37 PM

April 23, 2008

Communications Tool Kit

The CLA PR Committee Announces the Communication Toolkit to aid you in all your Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations activities.

Posted by claadmin at 1:15 PM

March 19, 2008

CLA Governance Boards to Meet

The CLA Assembly and the CLA Executive Committee will be meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at the Sacramento Public Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, in the west meeting room of the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. The Assembly meeting will begin at 10:00 am and will run until 12:30 pm. The Executive Committee will be meeting from 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm in the same room. The meetings are scheduled to allow CLA leaders to participate in Library Legislative Day on April 16.

This is your opportunity to submit agenda items for these meetings on the attached form. All agenda items need to be submitted to the CLA office no later than April 1, 2008. Agenda items may be submitted via email to info@cla-net.org, or by fax to 916-447-8394. All CLA meetings are open to members who wish to observe. Contact Sue Negreen, Executive Director, if you have questions.

Agenda requests.pdf

Posted by claadmin at 2:13 PM

March 7, 2008

CLA's Nominating Committee Wants You

The Nominating Committee of the California Library Association is looking for members to run for office in CLA. Positions to be elected in the spring 2008 election include Vice President/President Elect, ALA Chapter Councilor and six positions elected at-large for the Assembly for three-year terms. All seven CLA sections will be electing Vice-Presidents/Presidents Elect, Secretaries, and the Academic, Management Services and Public Library Sections will be electing representatives to the Assembly.

If you are interested in serving your association in one of these positions, or if you have questions, please contact Margaret Todd Chair of the 2008 Nominations Committee or your section President. Please feel free to nominate yourself for one of these positions! Nominations forms may be found at http://www.cla-net.org/included/docs/ElectionVolunteerForm.pdf

Serving in an elected position is rewarding, professionally and personally. We hope to hear from you.

Margaret Todd, Chair
2008 Nominations Committee

Posted by claadmin at 10:33 AM

November 15, 2007

Proposal to Reorganize CLA to Enhance Member Participation and Relevance

Background
CLA is a volunteer membership organization. The only paid staff is an Executive Director and 2 full time staff members who work at the CLA office in Sacramento. The governance of CLA is done on a volunteer basis with paid staff serving as administrative support. When we discuss leadership throughout this document, we mean those that have been elected or appointed to leadership positions and who work on a voluntary basis.

On September 11, 2006 at the Annual Leadership Retreat of CLA's current officers, Section, Round Table and Committee leaders, the #1 priority identified was the need to examine CLA's structure and decision making process.

With the support of the CLA Assembly, in January, 2007, CLA contracted with Paul Meyer, Principal Partner in Tecker Associates, a well respected non-profit association consulting firm, to survey CLA members and potential members on the organization and its governance structure. An online survey sent to all 2,097 members received 311 responses, and telephone interviews were conducted with 18 individuals. These confidential telephone interviews represented a mix of CLA members and nonmembers. It included librarians of a variety of ages, ethnicities, areas of the state, and library type. Within that mix were past CLA presidents, library directors, library educators, new members who were also new librarians, a vendor, and members of other library related organizations.

Continue reading "Proposal to Reorganize CLA to Enhance Member Participation and Relevance"

Posted by claadmin at 8:14 AM

November 14, 2007

California Summer Reading Website

The California Summer Reading Program has a new website!

Here you will find:

All the latest news about summer reading in California.

Information about upcoming training workshops, and handouts and videos from previous workshops.

A new "getting started" section with resources for planning your summer reading program, data you can use when advocating for summer reading, and practical information about the CSLP materials, including ordering deadlines for program incentives.

Coming soon!
A discussion forum where California librarians can ask questions and share information and ideas about summer reading.

Programming ideas and resources will be added through the year, so check back often!

If you have comments or feedback about the website, please contact Natalie Cole at ncole@cla-net.org.

Thank you!

Posted by claadmin at 3:30 PM

November 9, 2007

2007 Annual Report

Opportunity Knocks, this year's Conference theme reflects the work of our Association during 2007. Our financial status is good and membership remains stable with many students becoming members. In addition to our ongoing activities, CLA developed a number of new collaborations with the State Library and CALTAC. In addition, the Statewide Summer Reading Program received another year of LSTA funding.

The Legislative Committee continued their innovative work with a successful Day in the District, Legislative Day and podcast as well as participation in Federal Legislative Day. Senator Simitian introduced a new public library construction bond measure. Although it did not pass the Legislature in 2007, the bill is on suspense and will be considered again in January 2008. While the Association was shocked when the Governor reduced PLF and TBR in August, our lobbyists and the Legislative Committee immediately developed a campaign to ask the Governor to restore those funds. The campaign will kick off at conference. Please make a phone call or write a letter to the Governor asking for the restoration of PLF and TBR.

At the beginning of the year, I challenged our association with this question, "Is CLA well positioned for the 21st Century?" In September 2006, our leadership retreat determined that we needed to take a look at how CLA's governance affected member value. We hired a consultant, Paul Meyer from Tecker Associates, who is an expert in nonprofit associations to help us evaluate the governance of our organization. Paul conducted qualitative interviews with individuals who have knowledge of governance and an online survey of the membership. We discovered that members want a nimble, innovative organization. They envision an organization that can provide increased communication both for networking and member input as well as meaningful leadership opportunities. Our members want to use technology to allow more individuals to participate in the organization.

In order to address these findings, I appointed a task force who, with the assistance of our consultant, developed recommendations for ways we can adapt CLA to the needs of our members in the 21st Century. During Conference, these recommendations will be presented to both the outgoing and incoming Assembly for input. Immediately after Conference, these recommendations will be posted on the CLA website for your comments. All comments will be collected and provided to the Executive Committee at their meeting in January. I hope that you will find the time to look at these recommendations and provide comments by December 31, 2007.

Finally, I want to thank the CLA staff and all the members of our Association for a great year. It has truly been an honor to be the President of this organization.

Margaret Todd, 2007 CLA President

2007 Annual Report

Posted by claadmin at 9:35 AM

August 6, 2007

CLA Mentoring Program

The California Library Association's (CLA) Mentoring Committee is pleased to announce the Mentor-Protégé Program has transitioned from an annual program to a more user-friendly time span: 7-months (November - May). See http://www.cla-net.org/membership/mentorship.php.

Why this change? To provide you with more value with less time commitment.

Read the Guidelines to see the benefits for both Protégés and Mentors. Submit the online application between August 1 - October 15. We'll try to contact you with a potential match by November.

All CLA personal members are encouraged to apply. If you are a new library manager, please consider submitting both applications! If you are a student and not a CLA member yet, here's a special offer for joint membership with the American Library Association good through August 2007: http://cla-net.org/included/docs/ALA-CLA_membership_form.pdf.

In the past, we had more Protégé applications than Mentors. Mentors, hope you'll lead the way and help make a difference in the leadership of the future of California's Libraries!

Questions? Please contact: Christina Wainwright at cwainwright@sandiego.gov.

Dr. Connie Costantino
Chair, CLA Mentoring Committee

Posted by claadmin at 3:29 PM

May 1, 2007

Your Opinion Counts!

The California Library Association's leadership wants to involve you in assisting us in creating a more dynamic, effective, and efficient association. By gauging your thoughts and opinions, we can ensure that the CLA is focused and organized appropriately to meet the evolving needs of the California library community. If you would like to participate in this survey, go to http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/39dfg2811b.

This survey takes about 15 minutes to finish. Your responses will remain anonymous. The survey will be available until Wednesday, May 9. If you have difficulties while completing this brief survey, please contact pmeyer@tecker.com.

Thank you!

Margaret Donnellan Todd
CLA President

Posted by claadmin at 10:51 AM

January 29, 2007

California Chapter Councilor Report on ALA Mid-Winter

Submitted by Jackie Griffin, CLA Chapter Councilor

Seattle, January 18-25, 2007

The 2007 Mid-Winter Conference proved to be a very busy and interesting conference. Seattle worked well for the conference. The weather was mild and the conference center was well located for people attending meetings all hours of the day and evening. Total conference attendance was 12,196. This compared with 11,084 for San Antonio Mid-Winter, 2006 and 13,232 in Boston, 2005. Typically, conferences on the East Coast are better attended than West Coast conferences due to proximity to several large metropolitan areas.

From this councilor's perspective, the most important issue at council was the lively and respectful debate at Council II on the role of ALA in political issues. This debate emerged from resolutions submitted on funding the war in Iraq and impeaching the President. A summary of the debate and outcome is included under Council II on Tuesday Jan. 23rd.

Also important, with long-term consequences was the "Diversity Counts" report. Our profession is failing our younger members and we must find solutions or lose our most valuable resource.

Michael Gorman was honored with a tribute from the California Library Association for his tremendous volume of work in our field.

None of the resolutions voted on at Mid-Winter were available before the start of conference. This created much frustration, especially for state chapter councilors as we were unable to consult with our constituencies before voting. Therefore, any feedback on how I decided to vote on these issues would be appreciated for insight into how to proceed in the future.

I have not included information on resolutions that I regarded as housekeeping more than policy. In cases where I have given information on resolutions I have only provided the resolved clauses rather than the full resolutions including whereas clauses. If there is a particular resolution that you would like to see in full please let me know and I will attempt to fax it to you.

Sunday January 21, 2007

ALA Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Session

Budget Analysis and Review Committee (BARC)

Total revenue for ALA was $1 million over projections for FY07 with a total budget of $56.54 million.

ALA Endowment Trustees Performance Report

Endowments showed a gain of approximately $3.6 million (10.9%) to $29,028,000 in 2006. The trustees have begun placing some funds in socially responsible funds in response to member concerns. Unfortunately these funds did not do as well as more general funds during this investment year.

Nominating Committee Report

Only 20% of all members approached agreed to run for council. There is general concern about lack of involvement, lack of diversity, lack of front-line staff etc.

Polls will open March 15th.

"Diversity Counts" Report

A demographic survey is available at www.ala.org/membersdemog Salary survey www.ala.org/ala/ors/reports/Librarian

Salaries1982-2003-091605.pdf Complete report www.ala.org/ala/ors/diversitycounts/divcounts.htm

The number of librarians age 45-54 has grown by 95% in the last 10 years.
We're retaining older librarians who do not retire or advance.
We're losing younger librarians who have few opportunities to advance.
We have less diversity in the workforce.
We are developing a huge leadership gap.

However, it should be noted that this report ends (2003) before Spectrum Scholarships took effect (2003).

ALA-APA Information Session

APA was created by ALA to create more knowledge and information about library employee salaries, to help create opportunities for advancement in the profession and to be an advocate for improving library salaries. All members of ALA Council are also members of APA council.

ALA-APA is struggling with becoming a self-sustaining organization. FY06 showed a deficit of $39,552. However, income did increase by 68% last year and APA hopes to begin repayment of the "seed loan" of $250,000 from ALA by FY09.

Librarian salaries nation-wide and classification-wide range from 22,000-253,500.

ALA Council I

EPA Library Closings

The Bush Administration introduced an FY07 budget that included a $2 million cut to EPA that would reduce that agency's library network budget by 80% and force closure of many of the regional EPA libraries. Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City were closed in 2006 and the Main EPA library in DC was closed to the general public. These closures were done before the FY07 budget was passed.

The EPA insists that these closures will not affect access to environmental information. Many librarians, scientists and EPA staffers disagree.

The EPA sent several officials to Mid-Winter and they met with ALA staff, concerned librarians and others in an attempt to reach a compromise. Much discussion happened although no outcome was announced.

Hot Topic Discussion

President Burger introduced a new idea for council where a "hot topic" would be discussed in small groups in an attempt to resolve a problem. President Burger described it as being based in "speed dating".

Council discussed the reasons that members do not participate in council and ways to encourage new participation.

Monday Jan. 22, 2007

APA-ALA Council

California Councilor at Large, Michael McGrorty, brought a resolution to council on minimum salaries for professional librarians.

"RESOLVED, that the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association endorses a minimum salary for professional librarians of not less than $40,000 per year; and be it further RESOLVED, that the details of this endorsement shall be published and otherwise disseminated by the Director of the ALA Allied Professional Association as appropriate."

I voted yes. Motion passed unanimously.

Tuesday Jan. 23, 2007

ALA Council II

Budget Analysis and Review Committee

Defer graduated dues study recommendations from Annual, 2007 to Mid-Winter 2008.

I voted yes. Motion passed unanimously.

ALA Treasurer's Report

Net assets grew 9%. Total assets $59.25 million. Total liabilities $28.4 million.
Publishing, meetings and conferences make up 75% of revenue. CEPA and CDA loans have been repaid. Net assets have grown from $367,000 in 2002 to $1.64 million in 2006. Audit gave ALA its highest rating. The increase in dues led to no loss in membership.

Freedom to Read Foundation

This year, the Freedom to Read Foundation took part in several lawsuits in which First Amendment rights were under attack both federally and in individual states. More information is available at www.ftrf.org.

The work the Foundation does is incredibly important to all of us. I encourage individuals and institutions to join the FRF.

Honorary memberships were given to four individuals for their work in libraries. David Cohen, Alice Hagemeyer, Anita Schiller and Alphonse Trezza.

At this point, three resolutions were brought before council that caused much debate and discussion about council's role in political discussions. The debates were well informed, passionate, respectful, useful and thoughtful.

Resolution to Advocate Ending Funding for the War in Iraq.
"Therefore be it resolved that ALA support efforts in the US Congress to stop the Iraq War by withholding funds for military actions in Iraq, except for funds necessary for a safe, quick and orderly withdrawal."

I argued against this resolution. Not only do I not think that the resolution itself speak to ALA's mission, I also think that these types of resolutions are expressly opposed to our core principle of intellectual freedom. Any time we take a political position we risk having a chilling effect on our ability to be a resource for our users who are seeking information on these subjects. Others spoke of their concerns that this measure did not even address libraries in its resolve clause. It might have been easier to support this resolution if it mentioned funding for libraries.

Chapter Councilors expressed concern that these resolutions were not given to us before we came to council so that we might poll our constituents.
Members who spoke in favor of this resolution did feel that it met our core principles.

The resolution was defeated 95-48. I voted no.

Resolution on Impeachment of George W. Bush.

"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Library Association considers that George W. Bush, by such conduct, warrants impeachment".

Before this resolution could be debated the chair asked for a vote on whether the majority felt that these types of resolutions met the purview of the organization. A vast majority voted no. However, we were surprised to realize that the vote had ended debate on the issue which was not the intent of the body. Hearing the majority express a desire to allow the debate to go on (I said that I would like to have the issue debated and then I would vote against it) the chair rescinded the vote and debate was held. This debate reflected most of the same issues from the previous one.

The vote was overwhelmingly against the resolution. I voted no.

A final resolution of the day called for a reaffirmation of ALA's policy of not affiliating with the Boy Scouts of America until such time as they end their exclusionary policy with regard to religious beliefs or sexual orientation.

This resolution grew out of concern because the Association of Library Service to Children has a liaison to BSA listed on its website. ALSC asserts that it simply provides booklists and other support of the same type that it provides to any organization that provides service to children. Questions were raised about what did the word "affiliation" mean in this resolution (no support at all?) and what does ALSC
mean by "liaison." The resolution was deferred until the Annual Conference.

Council III

Tribute to Michael Gorman

I had the opportunity to present a resolution from CLA on behalf of Michael Gorman on the occasion of his retirement. I talked about how proud I was of ALA's leadership after Katrina and how we appeared as heroes in New Orleans because of Michael's leadership. I presented him with a token of our appreciation and the resolution that was passed at CLA in November listing his numerous achievements in the field. Michael seemed very pleased and touched.

Election to the Executive Board

Larry Romans and Charles E. Kratz, Jr. were elected to the Executive Board

Intellectual Freedom Report

Concern was expressed that some states are dropping their Intellectual Freedom Committees. IFC Chair Kent Oliver asked that states continue to support IFC committees.

Committee on Legislation

Resolution in Support of "Orphan Works"

"RESOLVED, That the American Library Association urges Members of the US Senate and the US House of Representatives to introduce legislation to amend the Copyright Act to facilitate the use of "orphan works" if the user has made a reasonably diligent, good faith search to locate the owner of the work but was
unable to find the owner."

After discussion of what "reasonably diligent, good faith search meant" and hearing from ALA staff that it was standard legal language for such searches, measure passed. I voted yes.

Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights

RESOLVED, that ALA strongly supports the protection of each person's civil liberties, regardless of that individual's nationality, residency, or status; and be it further

RESOLVED, That ALA opposes any legislation that infringes on immigrant's rights to use library resources, programs, and services on national, state, and local levels.

After discussion of language and what was meant by "immigrant" this resolution passed.
I voted yes.

Resolution Affirming the Role of Libraries in Providing E-Government and Emergency Services.

RESOLVED, that the American Library Association urge governments at all levels to acknowledge and support the essential role local libraries play in providing e-government and emergency response/recovery services, as well as include libraries in relevant legislative or other policy actions; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the American Library Association encourage continued research documenting library needs and capacity to provide effective e-government and emergency response/recovery services, and help libraries develop best practices and train staff to deliver these essential services.

Motion passed. I voted yes.

International Relations Committee Report

Council voted to appoint an ALA representative to the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, an organization established Jan. 2006 with the mission of protecting cultural property in times of war.

I voted yes.

Report from the Parliamentarian

Eli Mina is the Parliamentarian for ALA Council and he has provided much support in making Council a more effective body.

There was much discussion about the shutting off of debate during Council II.
The sense of the group seemed to be that we are an organization that values free and open speech and we do not wish to cut off debate.

Accessible Digitalization Projects Resolution

This resolution came very late to Council and it lacked necessary information. The intent of the resolution was to encourage all libraries that are digitalizing collections to make them accessible to our disability populations. However, the sense of the body was to refer it to the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies for their input.

Motion to refer passed. I voted yes.

Discussion on Earlybird Registration

Earlybird registration comes too soon. There is earlybird and early earlybird and registration and late registration and on-site registration.

The earlybird registration period is too short which penalizes school librarians.
Earlybird comes too early and penalizes young librarians who are struggling to make ends meet and must wait months to be reimbursed by their libraries.

Posted by claadmin at 10:13 AM

November 20, 2006

2006 Annual Report

Last year, I told you that I chose Raise Our Voice as the 2006 Conference theme because our focus would be centering around advocacy, public relations and intellectual freedom, three areas that are key in our long range plan.

In the arena of advocacy, we had a very successful Legislative Day in April. Aside from learning the library cheer, all of our attendees, and I think all of our legislators, became better informed about those strange initials, PLF and TBR. Our visit to the Governor's office was so educational, in fact, that we received $7 million increases to Public Library Fund and Transaction-Based Reimbursement. School libraries also won, receiving a one-time $100 million in Prop. 98 funds for purchasing instructional and library materials. The Legislative Committee worked diligently on a number of other issues as well. RFID, the Cable Franchise Bill, and a host of other bills were reviewed and monitored.

The Dillons were instrumental in our success, and we are grateful for their continuing expertise and efforts on our behalf. But we played an important role. Our success is the direct result of repeated advocacy, repeatedly raising our voice. We have a host of newly elected legislators as of Tuesday, and I encourage all of you to become acquainted with yours and let them hear from you.

We were deeply disappointed by California voters' failure to pass a second library bond measure. Everyone on the Proposition 81 committee, Legislative Committee, and CLA staff worked extremely hard and they are now working on strategies to increase funding for library construction in the state.

In the area of Intellectual Freedom, our IF Committee responded to several challenges in the state. Our other committees, including Membership, Mentoring, and all the awards committees were also very active. Several sections presented mid-year programs this year, and other sections have been posting news and ideas to the CLA webblog.

The number-one rated priority in our Long Range Plan is the development of a statewide public relations campaign. We worked on trying to identify funding for such a project, but we needed to face the fact that it is beyond our resources to mount a multi-million campaign. At the Public Library Director's Forum this year, we received suggestions for what types of PR resources libraries would find useful, and the Public Relations Committee is in the process of developing a toolkit that will be available for libraries to easily and cheaply mount grassroots local campaigns.

Lastly, I want to mention our very successful statewide summer reading program, which CLA was able to coordinate thanks to an LSTA grant from the State Library. Our first year had 88% participation, and I'm hoping all of you are going to be on board and "Get A Clue" in 2007.

The successes and the activity we have seen this year are a direct result of those members who have gotten involved. I want to thank each of you who helped make a difference in the direction that CLA is taking. I encourage all of you to continue raising your voice to ensure that the California Library Association remains a dynamic, exciting and successful organization!

Margaret Miles
2006 CLA President

2006 Annual Report (149k)

Posted by claadmin at 2:02 PM

July 3, 2006

It's Time to Vote!

Once again, CLA is offering online voting! To vote online, you are required to log on with your member ID and password. This information is on your member card. It was also emailed to eligible voters. If you would rather vote by mail, contact the CLA office at 916-447-8541 or info@cla-net.org by July 26 to receive a paper ballot.

Once you log in, you will be able to vote for the General Election as well as for any Sections that you belong to. Links to the the candidate biographies are provided on the ballot, but if you wish to look at them in advance, they are available on our website at http://www.cla-net.org/aboutcla/election.php.

Please join us in thanking the 2006 CLA Nominations Committee, ably chaired this year by Danis Kreimeier, and the section Nominations Committees, for all their hard work in putting this ballot together. Thank you also to all the CLA members willing to step forward and be considered for leadership positions in CLA.

We encourage you to exercise your membership privilege, and VOTE in the election! CLA depends on member involvement to carry out our programs and services. Your participation in this effort will shape the direction of CLA in the years to come. Thank you for taking time to exercise this important membership right.

The election ends on August 3. VOTE TODAY!

Posted by claadmin at 7:53 AM

May 30, 2006

A Guide to CLA Dues Reimbursement for Your Employer

By Kit Willis, Chair, Membership Committee

If you're not the only one benefiting from your CLA membership, then why are you the only one paying for it?

Your CLA membership isn't just valuable to you, it's valuable to your library, too. As a CLA member, you know you receive top-quality professional publications, gain opportunities for essential continuing education, and have access to a unique set of resources to improve your own worklife. But is your employer aware of how these benefits can advance your entire library's mission and work?

By demonstrating how your CLA membership improves your work, and therefore your workplace, you can encourage your employer to pay your CLA dues. Here are 4 simple steps to help you build a compelling case with your boss, board, or library "Friends" group to pay for your professional memberships:

Make a list of all member benefits that directly AND indirectly benefit your library. We've included some ideas at the end of this article to help get you started.
Review your library's mission and strategic goals. Match up specific organizational or departmental objectives with CLA resources that help you meet those goals.
Talk with your supervisor about why membership has been valuable to you, and go through the list of ways that CLA benefits 'match' your library's goals.
Ask your supervisor to cover all or part of your CLA dues as an investment in your own professional development, and as a benefit to the entire library.

Don't be shy. Remember, for pennies a day in dues, your library gets a well-connected and informed staff member who is up-to-date on new trends around the library world and understands how the latest technology, legislative issues and new media affect your patrons. Plus, you get the personal bonus of an employer who understands and acknowledges this in a special way.

You know how important your membership is. Here are a few facts about membership benefits to share with your employer:

Your membership will help you stay up-to-date with the latest news focused on the work you do every day through CLA's weblog and new bi-annual journal, Clarion and the list-servs for CLA's Sections.
CLA offers a members-only discount on conference attendance. This discount helps the library stretch its budget for purchasing and continuing education.
CLA offers scholarships and awards that can directly subsidize the library budget for conferences, continuing education and special programs.
You are eligible to serve on CLA committees and work groups that set the course for the future of libraries. Boards and community leadership are proud of, and find added value in, staff members who are recognized by their peers for outstanding service.
Your own staff development goals can be enhanced through the continuing education, skills training, and mentoring programs offered by CLA. Plus, you bring back new ideas to your coworkers from every outside training.
Members have unique opportunities to contribute articles, propose new publications, become a reviewer and bring your library's best-practices to a new audience. This brings recognition to your library in the wider community of professionals.
You and your library have networking opportunities through CLA's online members-only directory that enables you to share experiences, develop professionally, and interact with library leaders throughout California.

For more information on CLA member benefits, or to learn more about the opportunities described above, visit www.cla-net.org or call (916) 447-8541. We are glad that you are a member and support your efforts to gain the recognition from your employer that you deserve.

Posted by claadmin at 2:25 PM

May 9, 2006

Library Cheer!

By popular demand, we are providing the text to the cheer led by Margaret Miles, CLA President, at our Annual Library Legislative Day:

(leader says what's in caps, crowd say what's in lower-case. Everybody says hip-hip-hooray!)

L-I-B-R-A-R-Y

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

I SAID L-I-B-R-A-R-Y!

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR POETRY?

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR HISTORY?

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

WHERE DO YOU GO IF YOU'RE OLD AND SHY?

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

WHERE DO YOU GO TO LEARN HOW TO FLY?

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

I SAY LIBRARY, YOU SAY CARD

LIBRARY

card

LIBRARY

card

I GOT ONE, AND IT WASN'T TOO HARD

LIBRARY

card

LIBRARY

card

BIG BRICK BUILDING HOW SWEET IT LOOKS
SO TAKE ME IN TO THE LAND OF BOOKS
TO THE L-I-B-R-A-R-Y

l-i-b-r-a-r-y

IT'S BEEN IN YOUR TOWN FOR A HUNDRED YEARS,
LET'S GIVE YOUR LIBRARY THREE BIG CHEERS!

hip-hip-hooray!

CLA President Margaret Miles leads the Annual Library
Legislative Day attendees in a cheer before they head
out to their meetings with legislators.

Posted by claadmin at 12:00 PM

April 5, 2006

Nominations Being Accepted for Member of the Year and President's Award

The Member of the Year/President's Award Committee is seeking nominees for this year's awards. Sing the praises of someone you think deserves to be recognized.

Member of the Year Award is given to a current member of CLA who has held membership for at least 3 years and must be, or have been, working in a recognized library position or teaching in library education. Elected officials of CLA are excluded while in office. The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual member for his/her outstanding contributions, leadership and achievements in service to California libraries.

President's Award is given to a Trustee, friend, Elected Official or lay person(s) who has given his or her time and talents to further the advancement of California Libraries. CLA membership is not required.

Nomination forms are available on the CLA website. The deadline for the receipt of applications is September 30, 2006.

California librarians and library supporters are amazing people. Take this opportunity to help recognize some of them!

Barbara Roberts
Chair, Member of the Year/President's Award Committee

Posted by claadmin at 2:36 PM

April 4, 2006

National Library Week

To: CLA Members/ Systems/ Network Contacts

From: Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist and Christina Dillon, CLA Lobbyist

RE: News From the Capitol

SENATOR TORLAKSON INTRODUCES RESOLUTION CELEBRATING
"NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK"

At CLA's request, Senate Democratic Caucus Chair, Tom Torlakson, has introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 110, celebrating April 2 through April 8, 2006 as "National Library Week." The resolution "applauds the vital impact of California's public libraries, librarians, and all library workers," and contains several important "WHEREAS" clauses that highlight the numerous contributions that public libraries make statewide.

You may recall, Senator Torlakson has carried past legislation relative to ERAF relief for libraries, and has served as the former Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, where he became one of the principle architects of Proposition 65 (later became known as Proposition 1A), which provided ERAF relief to cities, counties, and special districts. A special "thank you" to Senator Torlakson and his Legislative Director, Jennifer Swenson, for their work on our behalf!

The bill was amended on April 3, 2006 to include an important "WHEREAS" that was crafted in conjunction with the literacy community, and Carey Gross of the CLA Legislative Committee. The bill will head to the Assembly this week so that principal co-author, Assemblywoman Wolk, will have the opportunity to take it up in her house as well, and then it will be returned to the Senate.

You may view a copy of the resolution at www.senate.ca.gov. Click on "legislation" and enter "scr 110" in the subject box.

Posted by claadmin at 1:05 PM

March 7, 2006

Campaign for Prop 81 Gears Up

Librarians and library advocates across the state have organized a grassroots effort to pass Proposition 81, the $600 million library construction and renovation bond measure that will be on the ballot in June 2006.

The campaign steering committee, chaired by Solano County Librarian Ann Cousineau, has mobilized a system of regional and county coordinators to pass the measure. Advocates will be stressing the following key messages about the importance of approving the bond:

Local libraries are in need. A needs assessment by the State Library has found that there are more than 500 public library projects needed in the next five years. Many communities have no local library, despite significant population growth.
Libraries are safe places for children. We see this in libraries all over the state as children pour in to seek homework help, work on research projects, and study.
The bond measure is not a tax increase. It is bonded with indebtedness the state repays over a number of years, but is not an increase to either property or sales tax. None of this funding can be used for local governments for administrative overhead.
Local dollars for local services. The bond reduces the amount that cities, counties, and library districts need to devote to capital costs, thus increasing the amount of local dollars that can be used to fund operational programs including collection development, literacy, senior services, and childrenâ€™s programming.

We need your help. The library bond measure will NOT simply pass on its merits. It will take the involvement of many people across the state. Please consider helping in the following ways:

Give to the campaign, if you have not done so already. The campaign is still far short of its goal for the resources needed to effectively push for the measure.

Hold a fundraiser in your area and invite other people to come and contribute to the campaign.

Talk to your co-workers and ask that they also support the bond.

Friends and foundations--urge these groups to make a contribution and to generate support for the bond.

Secure endorsements from city councils, boards of supervisors, school boards and other local groups.

And finally--Vote for Prop 81.

For more information on the campaign to pass Prop 81, please go to Yesforlibraries.com.

Posted by claadmin at 9:35 AM

February 5, 2006

2005 Annual Report

What a year it's been! 2005 was a year of "firsts." The first news/blog, the first issue of our new magazine, the Clarion, our first LSTA grant award and a few more! We are also well on our way to a finalized long range plan that will lead CLA forward.

Our accomplishments this year were made possible by the ground work of previous presidents, committees, and our staff. Our news/blog and magazine came out of a study conducted by Cindy Mediavilla and completed under Susan Hildreth's leadership. Now you can log on to CLA's website and get current news and information from CLA Sections, Committees and the library world, or you can dive into the Clarion, CLA's magazine so ably edited by Anne Turner, for substantive information on library issues. Please join me in thanking all those involved who helped turn our communication plan into a reality.

We are very excited about our new partnership with the California State Library. Through an LSTA grant, we have joined the National Collaborative Summer Library Program as a state member; and CLA is facilitating this summer reading program opportunity for 2006. The National Collaborative Summer Library Program is a grassroots consortium of 32 state agencies and associations working together providing high-quality summer reading program materials for children and teens at the lowest cost possible for libraries. Some libraries in California have participated in this program previously and have found it to be quite successful and cost effective. The manuals for the 2006 program are now making their way into library branches.

CLA's legislative agenda continues to be vigorous. Our Legislative Committee and lobbyists worked with members of the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees to maintain the PLF at $14.3 million for the 2005-06 fiscal year, and worked with legislators on a number of bills that impact libraries, including one on RFID. CLA supported the Governor's appointment of Susan Hildreth as State Librarian, and packed her confirmation hearing with librarians from around California. Partnering with the California School Library Association and CALTAC, library legislative day in April and Day in the District drew active and enthusiastic participation. I urge all my colleagues to participate in this activity whether you represent public, academic, law or other types of libraries; getting the word out to our elected representatives on the importance of all libraries is imperative.

I would also like to recognize the work of the Bond Campaign Committee this last year. By only funding a small fraction of the submitted projects, the success of the previous Bond measure serves to highlight the continued need for new library construction. Please help support the Bond campaign through donations and spreading the word on the importance of this measure. You can find out more about the campaign through our website. Click on the link "support the library bond act" on the CLA home page, www.cla-net.org.

I would like to end with acknowledging a debt of gratitude that I feel for all my colleagues involved in the planning of the 2005 conference. They say many cooks spoil the soup, but with a giant casserole such as this year's conference, I think the many cooks added great flavor to the mix.

I celebrate the everyday heroes who help make, not only the conference, but our organization, the success that it is. How we are able to accomplish so much through a volunteer workforce and a paid staff of just three is amazing.

I want to emphasize that CLA is its members. Please get involved. Run for office. Volunteer to serve on a committee. Submit an article to the news/blog. When you receive an online questionnaire from CLA, answer it. This was the first time that the members were able to directly give their voice to the long range planning process through a Zoomerang online survey. I think that is a giant step in creating the type of organization that can respond directly to member's needs.

As we struggle with the vision of what the future of libraries will be, it is also our task to create a vision of what our professional organization will become. With your input, help and enthusiasm, CLA has a bright future.

Danis Kreimeier
2005 President

2005 Annual Report (158k)

Posted by claadmin at 7:53 AM

January 10, 2006

A Financial Snapshot of the California Library Association

Do you ever wonder how your CLA dues are spent when you join or renew your annual membership? We occasionally receive some questions about CLA's finances, so we have prepared some charts that illustrate where our revenue comes from and where it goes. CLA's annual income and expenses are expected to be close to $750,000 for the current fiscal year.

In Chart 1, you will see that the annual conference is responsible for 50% of CLA's income, with dues representing 30%. Job Mart, rental income from the building, and interest and dividends represent another 18%.

In Chart 2, you will see that expenses for the conference, which include speakers, meeting room rental, the receptions and meals, the exhibit hall expenses and contracted services are 33% of our planned expenses. Close behind that expense is personnel, the staff in the CLA office. CLA spends 13% of our revenue on legislative expenses, primarily CLA's lobbyists, and 8% of the budget is spent on administration and another 8% is spent on the building. Governance and membership expenses run to 7%.

A longitudinal view of the organization's income and expenses is shown in Charts 3 and 4. As you can see in Chart 3, Income Trends, there have been some wide fluctuations in conference income over the last ten years, while dues income has been more stable.

On the expense side (Chart 4), the cost of the conference varies primarily due to location and speaker honoraria. For example, the conference in Ontario (2003-04) cost significantly less than the conference in San Jose (2004-05) because of the difference in convention center rental.

Members of the Finance Committee or the staff would be happy to answer any questions about CLA's finances. Finance Committee members include Annette Milliron, Treasurer, North Bay Cooperative Library System, Joan Allen Hart, San Diego County Public Law Library, Jackie Griffin, Berkeley Public Library, Diana Paque, John F. Kennedy University, Jean Scully, Redondo Beach Public Library, Sally Tseng, Chinese American Librarians Association, and Diana Wu, San Jose State University.

Annette Milliron, Treasurer
annetnbc@sonic.net

Posted by claadmin at 2:59 PM

December 21, 2005

Results Announced for Management Services Section Election

The CLA Management Services Section Election is now complete. Heather Pizzuto, Library Director at Carlsbad City Library has been elected Vice President/President Elect for the Section. Other new officers include Rosanne Macek, Secretary, and Stephanie Beverage, Assembly Representative. The newly elected representatives take office immediately, as CLA's elected terms of office begin with the conclusion of the Annual Conference. Current President of the section is Melinda Cervantes, County Librarian for Santa Clara County Library.

The election was conducted on-line, and 75 members of the section voted, for a 40% participation rate. Final results are as follows:

Vice President/President
Heather Pizzuto 62%
Lisa G. Rosenblum 38%

Secretary
Melissa Browne 46%
Roseanne Macek 54%

Assembly Representative
Stephanie Beverage 65%
Jean Hofacket 35%

Posted by claadmin at 4:34 PM

October 4, 2005

CLA Governing Bodies to Meet in Pasadena

The CLA Assembly and Executive Committee will be meeting next month in conjunction with the CLA Conference. The CLA Executive Committee will meet on November 4, from 9:00 am - noon. The 2005 Assembly will meet on Friday, November 4, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, and the 2006 Assembly will meet on Monday, November 7, 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm. These meetings will be held at the Westin Pasadena, 191 North Los Robles, Pasadena, California 91101. Agenda items for these meetings must be received in the CLA office by 5 p.m. Friday, October 14, 2005. Please contact Sue Negreen, CLA Executive Director, if you would like more information about these meetings, or if you would like to submit an agenda request. All CLA meetings are open to members.

Posted by claadmin at 2:52 PM

September 13, 2005

California to Participate in National Summer Reading Collaborative

Susan Hildreth, State Librarian of California, and Danis Kreimeier, CLA President, have submitted the following announcement:

The California State Library (CSL) is very happy to announce a new partnership with the California Library Association (CLA). CSL has joined the Collaborative Summer Library Program as a state member; and CLA will facilitate this summer reading program opportunity for 2006 and future summers for all interested public libraries.

The National Collaborative Summer Library Program is a grassroots consortium of 32 state agencies and associations working together providing high-quality summer reading program materials for children and teens at the lowest cost possible for libraries. Some libraries in California have participated in this program previously; and it has been quite successful and cost effective.

CSLP hires a writer to develop a program manual each year. Personnel from libraries in member states are encouraged to contribute ideas and materials to this creative process. By combining resources and working with a commercial vendor (currently Upstart) to produce the manual, working with well-known artists to develop art, and suggesting incentives to support the program theme designed exclusively for CSLP members, libraries in participating states can purchase posters, reading logs, bookmarks, certificates, and a variety of reading incentives at significant savings.

For the summer of 2006, CSL has funded a membership fee for every public library and will purchase a program manual for every public library branch in California. Library staff can review the manual and determine if your library would like to participate.If so, the cost of any material relating to the summer reading program will be a local responsibility. Participation in this program is not required for any public library; you may chose to use these materials, or continue to develop your own program.

This collaborative works in a very democratic manner; and California, as a state member, has an official voting member of the cooperative. Currently, that member is CLA Vice-President/President-Elect Margaret Miles. When Margaret becomes CLA President in November, Danis Kreimeier will assume that role. Hopefully, future representatives will be identified through the CLA Children's Services Section.

A website, www.summerreading.cla-net.org, is now available to support library participation in the summer reading program.

Posted by claadmin at 3:31 PM

September 9, 2005

Volunteers Needed to Guide Summer Reading Program

Do you have the secrets to a successful summer reading program? Would you like to share your expertise with your colleagues throughout California?

CLA and the State Library have announced a statewide summer reading program and now we need experts from CLA's membership to assure its success. Representatives are needed from every part of the state. Possible volunteer opportunities include serving on an advisory committee, assisting with workshops throughout the state and participating on committees at the national level.

If you would like to help chart the success of the first statewide summer reading program in California, contact Danis Kreimeier at danisk@ylpl.lib.ca.us.

For more information about the Summer Reading Program, visit http://www.summerreading.cla-net.org/

Posted by claadmin at 2:41 PM

September 8, 2005

Section Election Results

ACADEMIC SECTION
Eligible voters: 201
Ballots received: 68
Voting percentage: 33.8%

Vice President/President Elect
Barbara Quarton 58.8%
Robert Sage 38.2%

Secretary
Linda Peabody 100%

Assembly Representative
Melissa Browne 44.1%
Kathy Headtke 51.5%
---------------------------------

ACCESS, COLLECTIONS AND TECHNICAL SERVICES SECTION
Eligible voters: 142
Ballots received: 66
Voting percentage: 46.5%

Vice President/President Elect
Xiaoli Li 100%

Secretary
Sheila Wekselbaum 100%
---------------------------------

CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT SERVICES SECTION
Eligible voters: 301
Ballots received: 117
Voting percentage: 38.9%

Vice President/President Elect
Paula Knop 100%

Secretary
Stephanie Stokes 100%
---------------------------------

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECTION
Eligible voters: 170
Ballots received: 69
Voting percentage: 40.6%

Vice President/President Elect
Anthony Costa 100%

Secretary
Lisa Bartle 100%
---------------------------------

LITERACY SERVICES SECTION
Eligible voters: 91
Ballots received: 33
Voting percentage: 36.3%

Vice President/President Elect
Monica O'Hara 67.6%
Beverly Schwartzberg 29.4%

Secretary
Shanti Bhaskaran 100%
---------------------------------

PUBLIC LIBRARY SECTION
Eligible voters: 523
Ballots received: 235
Voting percentage: 44.9%

Vice President/President Elect
Paymaneh Maghsoudi 46.0%
Cynthia Pirtle 53.2%

Secretary
Dolly Barnes 100%
---------------------------------

REFERENCE SERVICES SECTION
Eligible voters: 230
Ballots received: 90
Voting percentage: 39.1%

Vice President/President Elect
Sean Aragon 100%

Secretary
Jennifer Sweeney 100%

Posted by claadmin at 9:53 AM

September 6, 2005

CLA 2005-06 Election Results

Statewide Positions
CLA Voting Members were informed of the ballot through a postcard announcement

Eligible Voters: 1990
Ballots received online and paper: 770
Percentage voting 38.7%

Vice President/President Elect
Margaret Donnellan Todd 60.6%
Mark Smith 36%

ALA Chapter Councilor
Jackie Griffin 60.8%
Norman Reeder 32.9%

Assembly Members-at-Large
A coin toss resolved the tie between Ja-Lih Lee and Nancy Messineo. Names were drawn for the candidates who filled unexpired terms on the Assembly. All terms are three years unless noted.
Lisa Bartle 42.6%
Karen Dyer (2 year term) 57.8%
Al Escoffier 40.4%
Keri Botello 42.3%
Ja-Lih Lee 40.9%
Louise Mazerov 34.2%
Dave Tyckoson 31.9%
Ana-Elba Pavon (1 year term) 42.5%
Lucy Salvado 37.9%
Gail McPartland 47.5%
Maida Lin Wong 33.4%
Sarah Houghton 49.9%
David McFadden 45.6%
Nancy Messineo 40.9%
Barbara Flynn 37.3%
Michele A. Huie 24.7%

Section election results will be available shortly.

Posted by claadmin at 3:25 PM

August 4, 2005

Vote in CLA's Election!

Have you voted in this year's CLA election? If not, please consider casting your vote today. Every year, the Assembly race comes down to just handful of votes. Every vote DOES count, including yours!

To make voting as quick and easy as possible, we are once again offering online voting.

In order to vote online, you will need your member ID and password. If we have your email address on file, you have been sent this information twice since the election began. It is also on your CLA membership card. If you can't locate your emails or card, contact the CLA office at info@cla-net.org or 916/447-8541.

Once you log in, you will be able to vote for the General Election as well as for any Sections that you belong to. Links to the the candidate biographies are provided on the ballot, but if you wish to look at them in advance, they are available on our website at http://www.cla-net.org/aboutcla/election.php. If you rather vote with a paper ballot, please contact the CLA office no later than next Monday, August 8.

Voting ends August 15. Don't miss out on choosing CLA's leaders. VOTE TODAY!

Posted by claadmin at 1:45 PM

July 22, 2005

Members Suggest Priorities for the Association

Submitted by Danis Kreimeier, CLA President

During the recent long range planning survey, 439 members took the opportunity to tell CLA that a public relations campaign to education Californians about the libraries, a compelling state conference and strengthening the fiscal position of the association were their top three priorities. Members responding to the survey were least interested in a program for retirees and a master speakers' series. Assembly members who took the survey at their April meeting ranked the conference, a proactive legislative agenda and increasing membership as their top three priorities. The Assembly also ranked a retirees program at the bottom of their list. A complete report that compares these results can be found on the CLA website. Many thanks to the members who participated in this survey. I was delighted by the response!

This is the first time that CLA was able to get feedback on our long range plan directly from our members. Some of you may have found the survey a little cumbersome; however I found that the format of the survey forced me to really make a choice among priorities that at first glance seemed equally important.

We have already begun work on many of your priorities. Cynthia Olsen and the Public Relations Task Force are working to lay a foundation for a PR Campaign, and the association has committed to meeting space for the conference through 2012, ensuring that there will be a statewide conference. We ended the last fiscal year in the black, despite a budget that planned a small deficit and we expect to have our first major new source of income shortly through an LSTA grant. As we move through the long range plan, we will keep you up to date on these priorities.

I would like to thank Gail McPartland and the Long Range Planning Committee for all their hard work in moving us through the planning process. Last September, Gail and the committee started with a laundry list of wishes and were able to distill a wide variety of ideas into a cohesive plan. I imagine that they felt like they were trying to herd kittens through much of the process. I am continually amazed at the willingness of our members to take on difficult tasks and create such quality products.

If you would like to be involved CLA activities, consider running for office or volunteering for a committee. A committee volunteer form can be found at http://www.cla-net.org/aboutcla/volunteerform.php. Election information will be available in September. Again, thank you for participating in this survey.

Posted by claadmin at 2:50 PM

May 16, 2005

Academic Librarians Meeting

Submitted by Kathlene Hanson, Academic Section President on behalf of Les Kong, Assembly Member and Past CLA President

On April 20, CLA Assembly members affiliated with academic institutions -- Carl Bengston, CSU Stanislaus; Rebecca Culbertson, UC San Diego; Kathy Headtke, Alan Hancock College; Sue Kendall, San Jose State University; Les Kong, CSU San Bernardino; Diana Paque, John F. Kennedy University; Rosalind Van Auker, CSU Sacramento; Diana Wu, San Jose State University; and Kathlene Hanson, CSU Monterey Bay, and President, CLA Academic Section -- met at the Inn Off Capitol Park, in downtown Sacramento. We had a wide-ranging discussion covering such issues as how to recruit more academic members into CLA, collaboration and co-sponsorship opportunities with other groups (e.g., CARL), strategies to recruit students as potential academic librarians and/or CLA Academic Section members, developing a list of the benefits of CLA membership specifically for academic librarians, the importance of academic librarians becoming more involved in the lobbying process (and Legislative Day), the continuing process of ensuring that the annual conference program content has strong relevance and resonance for academic librarians, and the role of mentors in developing academic librarians. We observed that both collaboration with other library organizations and recruitment of new members ties in with the CLA Draft Long Range Plan.

We also discussed strategies to determine why many academic librarians in the state are not currently members of CLA and will be considering ways to advocate for membership at the annual conference. We were particularly interested in focusing upon newer members to the academic library profession. We discussed ways in which each of us, in our respective organizations, can actively encourage membership in professional associations, such as CLA, to our colleagues. In particular, we wanted to focus again on the newer librarians to the profession and to acertain their expectations of association membership. We concluded with the thought that a meeting like this was long overdue, and that we should definitely follow up with another meeting in the Fall at Conference, and possibly make this a regular event. Many good ideas came out of our discussions, and we all thought it was very energizing to get together as a group.

Posted by claadmin at 10:36 AM

May 4, 2005

Technology Core Competencies for CA Library Workers Online!

Submitted by Sarah Houghton, IT Section President

Technology Core Competencies for California Library Workers Library staff deal with technology every day. Technology competencies serve to help staff understand what is expected of them in terms of technological skills and knowledge. Technology competencies can also assist libraries in assessing staff training needs and developing an appropriate training program.

For the last few months, a taskforce from the Information Technology Section and the Continuing Education Committee have been working toward developing a set of Technology Core Competencies for California Library Workers. The Assembly and Executive Board approved the competencies, and they are now in place for all of the California Library Association.

This set of competencies is intended to serve as a base model for technology competencies among California Library Workers. California's libraries are incredibly diverse; there are many different types and sizes of libraries, different staffing, and different technology. The purpose of these competencies is not to be the guidepost by which all libraries measure technology skills, but rather to serve as a starting point for libraries to use in assessing their staff's technology proficiencies, and to assist libraries in building their own sets of tailored competencies to fit with their unique staff and library.

Posted by claadmin at 9:21 AM

March 23, 2005

Editor Announced for New CLA Magazine

The CLA Reasearch and Publications Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of ANNE M. TURNER to the position of editor for the forthcoming CLA magazine. The inaugural issue is planned for Fall 2005.

Ms. Turner is the Director of Libraries of the Santa Cruz City County Library System in Santa Cruz, California. She has also directed libraries in Amherst and Lowell, Massachusetts, and did a brief stint as a reference librarian at a small college before escaping to management. Her Master of Science and Doctor of Arts degrees are both from the Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science in Boston.

Despite these East Coast credentials she is a second generation Californian; she was born and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She was the 2002 President of the California Library Association, and was a long time columnist for CLA's newsletter. She also wrote a column for Library Journal. She has written three books for the library professional market. The latest is a new edition of It Comes with the Territory, about handling problem situations in libraries.

Posted by claadmin at 1:11 PM

March 14, 2005

Name CLA's New Magazine!

Submitted by Shawna Thorup

CLA will unveil a new print magazine later this year, and it needs a title. Can you help?

CLA's Research and Publications Committee invites you to submit up to three suggestions for an upbeat, catchy magazine title that captures the unique nature of California libraries, California librarians and library staff, and the California Library Association.

Please keep in mind that this will be the official publication of the California Library Association. The magazine will have practical and interesting articles of varying length built around a theme, with attention paid to design, layout, and illustrations. It will be sent to all CLA members as part of their membership, and possibly available to non-members and institutions via subscription.

Email your suggestion(s) with the Subject line, "CLA Magazine Title Suggestion" to info@cla-net.org by April 2, 2005. The Research and Publications Committee will provide a short list of recommendations to the CLA Executive Committee, which will make the final decision.

Thank you in advance!

Posted by claadmin at 8:03 AM

January 4, 2005

Welcome to the CLA Weblog

Welcome to the CLA Blog! We will be adding articles to each of the main categories to your left. Our most recent articles will appear here on our weblog home page. You can also scan through the archives by Month or Recent Entries or use the Search this site tool to your left.

You can stay updated with CLA's blog by visiting regularly, following CLA's Facebook and Twitter pages, and by adding the blog to your RSS feed. For more information on RSS, click here.

We hope you enjoy reading our articles!

Posted by claadmin at 6:00 PM

Archives by Month

Recent Entries

Search Weblog

CLA Weblog Submissions

Inside CLA

May 7, 2010

Update: Conference Proposal Review

March 26, 2010

CLA and San José State University SLIS Announce New Partnership

February 1, 2010

California Library Association Names New Executive Director

December 11, 2009

California Library Association Names New Chief Executive Officer

November 25, 2009

CLA joins the Association Resource Center

Your New Leadership Development Committee

November 23, 2009

CLA-Drexel Online Partnership Benefits CLA Members

November 4, 2009

CLA Announces New Host for CALIX Listserv

Response to Dr. Ken Haycock's Open Letter

October 12, 2009

2009 Annual Report

Beyond Intuition - Planning For Transformation

August 26, 2009

Call for Nominees

July 16, 2009

CLA Special Election Results Announced

June 22, 2009

Vote Now in CLA's Special Election

June 18, 2009

Executive Committee Meeting Highlights

June 16, 2009

Call for Proposals

April 1, 2009

CLA is now on Facebook!

March 27, 2009

Follow CLA on Twitter!

December 19, 2008

Happy Holidays from CLA!

December 12, 2008

2008 Annual Membership Meeting Minutes

November 21, 2008

2008 Annual Report

November 5, 2008

California Library Association Names Interim Executive Director

October 31, 2008

Resolution for SJSU

July 17, 2008

Members To Vote on Revised Bylaws During Upcoming Election

July 10, 2008

2008 CLA Election Slate Announced

June 23, 2008

2008 CLA Election is Delayed

April 23, 2008

Communications Tool Kit

March 19, 2008

CLA Governance Boards to Meet

March 7, 2008

CLA's Nominating Committee Wants You

November 15, 2007

Proposal to Reorganize CLA to Enhance Member Participation and Relevance

November 14, 2007

California Summer Reading Website

November 9, 2007

2007 Annual Report

August 6, 2007

CLA Mentoring Program

May 1, 2007

Your Opinion Counts!

January 29, 2007

California Chapter Councilor Report on ALA Mid-Winter

ALA Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Session

ALA-APA Information Session

ALA Council I

APA-ALA Council

ALA Council II

Council III

November 20, 2006

2006 Annual Report