Judith Krug to speak on the “Interesting” Times of Intellectual Freedom

Judith Krug, American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom Director, will present a WLA pre-conference Tuesday, October 16 on the most pressing issues facing LIS professionals today - Patriot Act, censorship, disappearing information, and current legal issues in library buildings and spaces. After Ms. Krug's keynote, participants will have an opportunity to engage in small group discussions around major IF issues, with IFRT Round Table members facilitating. The groups will reconvene and under Ms. Krug’s leadership, discuss their group’s findings.

The pre-conference is sponsored by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, the Wisconsin Library Trustees & Advocates, and the Center for Information Policy Research, School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For more information, see http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/ifrt/krug_2007.pdf or register using the conference registration form: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/conferences/2007/general/documents/2007RegistrationForm_fillable.pdf.

Helen Adams Wins 2007 SIRS/Proquest Intellectual Freedom Award

Helen Adams, longtime advocate for intellectual freedom in schools and libraries, was selected by the WLA Intellectual Freedom Round Table as the recipient of the 2007 SIRS/Proquest Intellectual Freedom Award. Helen has been a constant voice of both passion and reason, working to make sure that the First Amendment rights of library users are understood as essential to the work of library professionals.

Helen is past-president of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) of the American Library Association (ALA), and served on the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee. She took the lead in developing the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association Intellectual Freedom Plan after the organization's reconfiguration in 2006. Helen is also the author or co-author of several books, including the forthcoming Ensuring Intellectual Freedom and Access to Information in the School Library. She is a Lifetime Member of WLA. Read more about Helen...

WLA Award Winners Announced

The Awards and Honors Committee is pleased to recognize excellence in the library community with its 2007 selections. Middleton Public Library (Paul Nelson, Director) is Library of the Year, and Alice Sturzl, Laona School District, is DEMCO Librarian of the Year. Trustee of the Year is Lowell Wilson, Lakeshores Library System. Frank Fiorenza, President, Village of Potosi, receives the Citation of Merit, while Bea Lebal, Director of T.B. Scott Free Library in Merrill, is recognized with the Muriel Fuller Award. The Highsmith Award goes to Carthage Family Fun Night, a program of Hedberg Library at Carthage College in Kenosha. Read more about the 2007 winners!

Donate to the WLA Foundation Silent Auction

Support the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries by contributing an item or service worth $50 or more to the Silent Auction at the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) conference. Anyone can donate, and proceeds benefit the Campaign.

Learn more at the WLA Conference headquarters!

WLA Strategic Plan Comments Requested

Got a comment about what WLA should be doing to remain relevant to you? The WLA Board has been working with leaders of divisions, sections, and round tables to update our plan. The major goals of the revised plan focus on Advocacy, Community, and Education.

Review the draft strategic plan, then share your views. Is this the WLA you want? Do you have suggestions for improvements? New ideas to share? Let us know by emailing wla@scls.lib.wi.us.

Your action needed on key budget issues

Four major library-related budget issues need your attention now as the State Budget Conference Committee negotiates a final budget for Governor Doyle’s signature. See the complete call to action for details.

Budget Conference Committee Agrees on Key Library Items

The State Budget Conference Committee has agreed to fund library items at levels previously approved by the Joint Finance Committee, Senate, and Assembly. Those items are library system aid, library service contracts, BadgerLink, and Newsline for the Blind. WLA will now turn its attention to items not yet decided by the Conference Committee, such as the proposed elimination of both the maintenance of effort requirement for system membership and the levy limit exemption for county payments to public libraries under s. 43.12. WLA also remains concerned about proposed cuts to the UW System and a provision affecting the Common School Fund that would ultimately reduce funding for school libraries.

Got Guinness?

The WLA Foundation does! Register today on your WLA Conference Registration form and join us for Irish Fest. Fun-filled with Druid's Table (Celtic Music), Irish fare, and a raffle, you won't want to miss the fun!

Your attendance at the event supports the WLA Foundation’s honors and awards, scholarships, and special projects, including the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries. Last year’s event netted nearly $3,000....let’s make it a goal to exceed that amount! Thank you for your support!