WAPL Conference: Point and Click, April 30-May 2 in Stevens Point

Mark your calendar for the 2008 WAPL Conference, Point and Click, April 30 - May 2, at the new Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center in Stevens Point. Keynote speaker is David Ward, the president and founder of NorthStar Economics, discussing the results of the Wisconsin Public Library Economic Impact Study and the general climate of Wisconsin’s economy. Ward will also present a breakout session to show how the results of the study can support and enhance local library operations.

Other breakout sessions will cover Intellectual Freedom for Children and Teens, the Experience of the Local Immigrant, WorkNet, Speed Training, and Strategic Planning, among other topics. Returning favorites include Notable Genre Books along with a book discussion featuring Gary Warren Niebuhr, both sponsored by READ, and Have You Heard About…, sponsored by MATS. Watch this site for more info as it becomes available: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/wapl/conferences/2008/index.htm.

WAAL Conference: Winds of Change, April 15-18 in Manitowoc

Think outside the Google box with keynote speaker Gary Price, library consultant and editor of ResourceShelf (formerly with ask.com), at the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL) Conference, April 15-18, 2008, at the Holiday Inn, Manitowoc. The conference, "Winds of Change: Setting Sail for Manitowoc," focuses on topics of interest to academic librarians in particular, but librarians of all stripes will find worthwhile programs.

Additional presentations will include:

• Will you be my friend...on Facebook? From basics to advanced features.
• Expanding Role of the Academic Librarian: Academic Support Services as Outreach
• Open Editions: An Introduction to Collaborative Environments for the Production of Scholarly Editions
• Super Student Worker to the Rescue!: Developing an Information Resources Internship Program in a Small Undergraduate Library
• Video Gaming and Online Social Simulations: Overview and Issues for Collection Development
• Avoiding the "Library Nerd Loop" - Engaging Students and Creating a User-Friendly Library Environment
• Improving Teaching and Learning through Instructional Partnerships: Building Librarian Relationships with One-on-One, In-depth Conversations

For more information, see: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/waal/conferences/2008/.

NY Study Reaffirms Link Between School Librarians, Student Achievement

A study from Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies that finds language test scores in New York State schools with certified librarians are higher than in those schools without librarians. These preliminary findings indicated a 10-point increase of certain test scores in schools with library media specialists. More information on the research results is available from the New York Library Association.

In Wisconsin, a study conducted for the Department of Public Instruction in 2006 examined the leadership and instructional roles of Wisconsin public school library media specialists required for a quality school library media program. It found a direct relationship with and impact on student achievement and learning across all grade levels when qualified school library media specialists are present.

The WLA Foundation’s Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries produced two ads showcasing the study results. Those are available at http://www.wisconsinlibraries.org/materials/print.asp. (See “Even Rocket Scientists Need Librarians” and “If Knowledge is Power, Libraries are Power Plants”). For a link to the study itself, see http://www.dpi.wi.gov/imt/lmsstudy.html.

Submit Your WLA Conference Program Ideas

Been to a great CE program or heard a dynamic speaker that you’d like to share with other library staff? Wondered about a topic that you haven’t seen presented before? The WLA Conference Committee encourages you to submit your program ideas for the 2008 conference, which will take place November 4-7 at the Madison Mariott West in Middleton. Units are already well underway with their plans to bring you an excellent variety of programming, but it’s important to get ideas from a broad cross-section of the membership. Fill out this form http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/conferences/2008/documents/2008RFPForm.doc and submit it by March 31.

Nominate Someone for Proquest IF Award

The WLA Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) reports that nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 WLA ProQuest Intellectual Freedom Award (formerly the SIRS/ProQuest Intellectual Freedom Award). The award recognizes the contribution of an individual or group who has actively promoted intellectual freedom in Wisconsin. Past winners include retired school library media specialist Helen Adams (2007), journalist Dee Hall (2006), Wisconsin Senator Russell Feingold (2003) and school library media specialist Irene Cooley (2001). Anyone who has actively promoted intellectual freedom in Wisconsin is eligible for the award. Activities within the past five years are eligible for consideration. The award is administered by IFRT. The nomination deadline is May 31, 2008. For more information on the award, and to obtain the nomination form with instructions and criteria, go to: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/ifrt/wlasirs.html