Facebook

Never say never!

Rob Lesher talked me into Facebook. (Thanks Rob!) I "never" saw myself "on Facebook". But, there I am! And, I find it fun! It is a great way to "stay in touch" and stay informed. I have reconnected with old friends. I now see the impact of Facebook as a tool for marketing and networking. My library has a page; many of "my" librarians have pages... so why not a page for the Roundtable?

"Officially" (on paper--with membership renewals) we have about 30 members for the Roundtable. But "unofficially" the membership can grow by leaps & bounds with such social media as Facebook.

So, if you aren't on Facebook I am daring you to take the leap! The 40+ crowd has taken over Facebook. So, you can't say that you are "too old". It can be a "time waster" if you allow it. (Yes, in the winter I do find myself wasting too much time on Farmville. But in my defense I HATE WINTER.)

Try to "ease in". Create a page for your library. The Internet really is a great equalizer! It is an interactive way for your library to connect with and communicate with your "fans" (locally and from afar). Uploading pictures is easy. If you don't have a digital camera yet for your library, get one now! Nothing tells your library's story better than pictures!

And, once you've created your library's page, please invite me to "like":
mtanner@myway.com. (And, don't forget to "like" the Rural & Small Roundtable page!)

Looking forward...

Programs!

So, the conference committee convenes today to choose the programs for the 2010 annual conference in Lancaster (October 24 - 27).

As this year's Chair for the Public Library Division and the Roundtable person, I was thrilled to see that 21 of the 56 public library programs submitted were geared towards rural & small libraries.

Please plan to attend this year's conference. If not for the entire time, then at least for a day. You won't be disappointed!

And, for free webinars, please check out the list posted (PAMAILALL) by Jim Hollinger on Thursday, April 29. The list is quite extensive and includes free programs from various library sources around the country.

Also, for $5 you or members of your staff can take advantage of the online courses at WebJunction. Pennsylvania is an affiliate member!

Please take advantage of these continuing education opportunities.

Call for Proposals

Please consider sharing your time and talents with us at the PaLA Annual Conference, Lancaster County Convention Center, October 24 – 27.

Program Proposals are now being accepted. The theme for this year’s conference is: Rooted in Tradition, Growing the Future.

The deadline for proposals is Sunday, April 25, 2010. The proposal application link can be found at PaLA’s website (main page): www.palibraries.org A .pdf is also available for downloading a working copy. Notifications will be made in May.

The conference offers nearly 70 breakout sessions on topics of interest to all types and sizes of libraries. For the past two years, the conference has featured a session geared towards rural & small libraries. Please help us continue that focus by submitting a program proposal.

Thanks!

Call for Programs

Okay, new decade and time to plan ahead.

The PaLA Annual Conference 2010 is October 24 - 27 in Lancaster. Where rural and small most definitely applies!

The call for programs will be soon! Please consider presenting a session geared towards your rural & small peers at the annual conference.

For 2008, we pitched the idea of the Roundtable and had an overwhelming response. Then again in 2009, the conference agenda included a session specifically showcasing great things happening at rural & small libraries across the state.

Now is your chance! We need you!

As Public Library Division Chair for 2010, I encourage you to submit a program geared towards rural & small libraries (bookmobiles and outreach services). Toot your own horn (something we don't do enough of!) and share your ideas. Now more than ever we need to help each other succeed!

Keep an eye on the PAPUBLIB and PAMAILALL lists for the deadline for submitting your program proposal.

WebJunction

Yes, it has happened! Pennsylvania is now an affiliate member of WebJunction!

Now, more than ever, Small & Rural Libraries need to stay current on library trends and keep staff well-trained.

Don't let this opportunity pass you buy. Go now to: http://pa.webjunction.org.
If you don't already have a user name & password, establish an account. Create a user profile and designate that you are a member of the Pennsylvania affiliation.

You will have access to a large selection of online workshops and training courses. These will be available to library employees and library board members at a cost of $5 per course. Yes, that's right--$5!

The PA partnership creates an online learning community for Pennsylvania--the ideal solution for small & rural libraries.

HSLC's training for Access PA services will be integrated into this service.

While there, take time to look around WebJunction. There are many valuable resources there. You no longer need to "re-invent the wheel"!