THIS WEEK AT THE ILLINOIS STATE LIBRARY (August 8, 2008)
Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian
Anne Craig, Director
SEE YOU AT THE ILLINOIS STATE FAIR!
AUGUST 8-17
IN THIS ISSUE:
- It’s State Fair Time Again!
- New INAC Members
- Library System Standards Committee
- Grant Talkin’…Stayin’ Connected
- August 20 Deadline for Internet Librarian Conference Discount
- Only One Per Capita Grant Workshop Remaining
- E-Rate News
- Literacy Spotlight
- Gov Doc Info
- Cultural Awareness: Diversity in Action
- Illinois Digital Archives
- Inventor of the Week
- Spread the News About E-news!
- Upcoming Events
IT’S STATE FAIR TIME AGAIN!
Thanks to everyone who made Secretary of State Jesse White’s annual pre-Illinois State Fair Project Next Generation picnic a big success Thursday. More than 200 PNG students, mentors and friends attended, representing programs from Alton, Bethany, Champaign, Decatur, Effingham, Harrisburg, Kankakee, Macomb, Peoria, Quincy and Springfield.
The State Library welcomes visitors to stop by our booths in Secretary White’s tent and the Illinois Building at the State Fair, which kicks off today. The Fair runs through Sunday August 17, and we’ll be offering bookmarks, brochures and shopping bags in Secretary White’s tent. The ISL Talking Book and Braille Service has set up shop in the Illinois Building and is providing information on the many services TBBS offers to print disabled patrons. If you plan to be in Springfield, make the State Fair a part of your travels and stop by and say hello!
NEW INAC MEMBERS
Congratulations to the four new members who have been appointed to the ILLINET Network Advisory Council:
- Laura Barnes, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
- Nanette Donahue, Chicago Public Library
- Anita Morgan, St. Xavier University Library
- Michelle Roubal, Plainfield Public Library District
LIBRARY SYSTEM STANDARDS COMMITTEE
The committee roster for the Library System Standards Committee has been finalized. Congratulations to Jane Sharka, past president of the Illinois School Library Media Association, who is joining the committee. During the next twelve months, the committee will be revising the library system standards with input from the Illinois library community.
GRANT TALKIN’…STAYIN’ CONNECTED
September 19th is only six weeks away, and LSTA grant consultant Karen Egan sends along a reminder that September 19th is the deadline to email final reports to her if you’re an FY08 LSTA grant recipient. Don’t put it off until the last minute!
AUGUST 20 DEADLINE FOR INTERNET LIBRARIAN CONFERENCE DISCOUNT
A discount is being offered to all ILLINET member libraries for the Internet Librarian 2008 Conference, held at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California October 20-22. A special rate of $275.00 is available. In addition, discount prices of $199 on the Internet@Schools West Conference (October 20-21) and $275 for the combo of the Internet Librarian general conference and Internet@Schools West Conference is also available. Pre-conference workshops are not included.
For more information regarding conference topics, preliminary program, hotel information and exhibitors list, visit the conference website.To receive a registration form with special discounted ILLINET member pricing, contact Jill Heffernan at 217-557-3386. To obtain the discount, forms must be returned to Jill by August 20th.
ONLY ONE PER CAPITA GRANT WORKSHOP REMAINING
The State Library has been offering workshops at the regional library systems to explain requirements for obtaining an Illinois State Library Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid grant. Only one workshop remains, on August 22nd at Lewis and Clark Library System.Contact Mary Downing at 217-782-5506 or Jeanne Urbanek at 217-524-0050 for more information.
E-RATE NEWS
The FCC released a Public Notice (FCC 08-180) establishing the comment period for the draft Funding Year 2009 Eligible Services List. Comments on the draft Eligible Services List, which is attached to the Public Notice, are due on or before August 14, 2008. Reply comments are due on or before August 21, 2008.
The FCC also issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 08-173) seeking comment on whether certain services should be designated as eligible for funding in Funding Year 2009. The due dates for comments and reply comments will depend on the date of publication of the Notice in the Federal Register.
LITERACY SPOTLIGHT
Every week we honor a provider who receives a literacy grant from Secretary of State Jesse White and the Illinois State Library Literacy Office. This week we shine the spotlight on Blue Gargoyle Adult Learning Program in Chicago. Michael Dellar had a difficult childhood, filled with experiences no child should have to endure. Two years ago he began learning to read and write with the help of his volunteer tutor, Paul Strauss. Left homeless by his sister, Michael was able to move into his own apartment with the assistance of Blue Gargoyle and a social service agency.
What could have been a major setback preventing his continued affiliation with Blue Gargoyle has turned into a momentous first in his life. Michael has since experienced other significant “firsts.” He now has a part-time job and a copy of his birth certificate and a state identification card, which he has never possessed before. Michael has learned to ride the Chicago Transit Authority bus alone and has been in downtown Chicago several times. He now uses a computer and works on his own stories. Michael is learning to interact professionally within a work environment and is proud of his job, taking his new responsibilities very seriously. Michael and Paul were both Spotlight award winners that were announced by Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White last May.
Learn more about the ISL Literacy Office and the hundreds of literacy providers who receive grants from us.
GOVDOCINFO
Everything you want to know about this year’s Illinois State Fair.
CULTURAL AWARENESS: DIVERSITY IN ACTION
“The Digital TV Transition: What You Need to Know About DTV” will be presented at Beardstown Houston Memorial Library on August 18, 2008 from 11:00 am.-12:30 pm by the Illinois State Library’s Diversity Program. This free workshop includes information on the changes from analog to digital television that will occur after February 17, 2009. Developed by the Federal Communications Commission and WebJunction, this workshop is open to the public but focuses on Spanish-speaking persons, senior citizens, rural communities and other minorities. Review the web site, www.dtv2009.gov for more information.
ILLINOIS DIGITAL ARCHIVES
One of the most popular staples of the Illinois State Fair is the butter cow. Here’s a photo of the 1953 butter cow, courtesy of The Illinois State Fair Museum.
ILLINOIS INVENTOR OF THE WEEK
Omar H. Jewell of Chicago is this week’s Illinois Inventor of the Week. On February 7, 1888, the United States Patent Office granted him Patent Number 377,390, for “Feed Water Purifier.” He received many patents for manufacturing ice and improving the quality of water. Jewell founded the O.H. Jewell Filter Company of Chicago and was voted into the American Water Works Association’s Water Utility Hall of Fame in 1974.
The Illinois State Library Patent & Trademark Depository Library is available to assist you with your patent and trademark questions. Contact us at (217) 782-5659.
The ISL Patent and Trademark Library has prepared a new index of Sangamon County inventors from 1838 to 1900.
SPREAD THE NEWS ABOUT E-NEWS!
Our weekly newsletter is the best source available to find out what’s going on at the State Library-everything from grant offerings and important meetings to news about electronic resources. We’re glad to have you as a subscriber, but if you know of anyone else you think should be getting E-news from the ISL, let us know and we’ll sign him or her up, or have him or her contact Pat McGuckin. Join the more than 6,000 subscribers who depend on E-news every Friday to find out what’s happening at the State Library!
- August 8-17-ISL at the Illinois State Fair
- August 26-Illinois State Library Advisory Committee meeting, ISL
- September 23-26–Illinois Library Association annual conference, Chicago
- October 2-3-Reaching Forward South Conference, Springfield
- October 7-ILLINET Network Advisory Council meeting, ISL
- October 30-System Presidents and Directors meeting, ISL
- December 4-ISL Electronic Resource Exposition (E-R-XPO), Schaumburg Township District Library
- December 6-Deadline to enter 2009 Letters About Literature competition
Questions about “E-News from the ISL” should be referred to Pat McGuckin, Illinois State Library or 217-558-4029. Please let me know if you ever have trouble accessing any of the website or e-mail links listed in the weekly newsletter.