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Events

Events, Friday Facts, Resources
Take Time to Honor National Heroes this Weekend
May 22nd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Memorial Day in Indiana: barbeques, sales, and of course, the Indy 500. However, it’s also important to remember the real reason behind the day – to honor those who have died in warfare. Memorial Day has its origins in the aftermath of the American Civil War – it was originally called “Decoration Day” and citizens were encouraged to decorate the graves of those who had fallen during the war. It wasn’t until after World War I that it was expanded to honor those who died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was established as a national holiday and is celebrated on the last Monday of every May. For more information on the history of Memorial Day, be sure to check out the Department of Veterans Affairs Memorial Day site.

Of course, a lot of people will be barbequing this weekend as well! The USDA provides a fact sheet of safety tips for those who are grilling out. Tips include keeping things clean, keeping food cold prior to grilling, and making sure everything is fully cooked. Additionally, many swimming pools open this weekend. Medline Plus provides swimming safety tips.

At 3:00 PM on Monday is designated as a National Minute of Remembrance. You can learn more about the Vietnam Veterans, Korean War Veterans and World War II Veterans Memorials by clicking on the links. Finally, be sure to check out different veterans’ stories at the Stories from the Veterans Project from the Library of Congress.

Get TrafficWise and Save Time on Your Daily Commute
The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has a program to use Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS, to help relieve traffic congestion and to improve safety. INDOT’s initiative is called TrafficWise. You can get real time traffic information in the Indianapolis Metropolitan area and northwest Indiana near Gary. You can also check out traffic conditions in Southern Indiana and the Louisville area by clicking on the Louisville TRIMARC link. This information allows you to check out traffic conditions on freeways before you leave your home or workplace. When you’re in your vehicle traveling the interstates, you can look to the large Dynamic Message Signs on the highway regarding traffic conditions to plan alternative routes if necessary. Other ITS avenues of communication of traffic conditions are alerts via the Highway Advisory Radio system and notices sent via the Internet or personal pagers. Those traveling by car this Memorial Day Holiday can be safe and utilize TrafficWise to avoid the headaches of traffic jams and construction.

Discover America’s Natural Heritage this Summer
Now that it’s getting warm out, many Hoosiers start thinking about what sort of activities to do this summer. Make the most of your summer and visit a national park! These beautiful parks offer both recreational and educational activities. Whether you’re interested in camping and hiking or in history and nature, there is probably a park that will fit in with your interests. If you’re unsure of where to begin, the National Park Service has a great feature on their website for locating national parks. Simply click on the state that you’re interested in and you’ll be shown a descriptive list of all the parks there. You can make it a long trip out west, or even stay in Indiana. The possibilities for enjoying nature are endless.

Raise Awareness About Risks of High Blood Pressure in May
Should you have your blood pressure checked this month? Chances are, the answer is yes! Direct your patrons to the website of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Search their diseases and conditions index and find out more about High blood pressure (or Hypertension) and how knowing your numbers can prevent disease & help keep you healthy. Check out their online Guide to Lowering High Blood Pressure for many FAQs. The Centers for Disease Control has a feature on May’s High Blood Pressure Education Month which offers statistics and quick facts about Hypertension. The Medline Plus encyclopedia entry on High Blood Pressure provides links to information in 17 languages other than English, plus the latest news and research. Remember – you can keep your blood pressure at a healthy level by monitoring your numbers, watching your nutrition, and staying active.

UNESCO Identifies Worldwide Treasures
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) provides a searchable list and map of 878 properties deemed as having “outstanding universal value” by the U.N. World Heritage Committee. The World Heritage List includes unique properties in 145 different countries that are protected under the World Heritage Convention. As its website says, “Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” Each entry briefly describes the property and includes a gallery of photographs, maps, news, links, and additional media. Most properties, including the Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, contain descriptive videos as well. You and your patrons can take an online tour of Venice and its Lagoon, visit the Great Wall of China from above the earth, or learn about beautiful Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica, all from the comfort of your library terminal.

by Katharine Springer, Elisabeth O’Donnell, & Kim Brown-Harden
Events, Friday Facts, Resources
May Honors Jewish American Heritage
May 15th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

May is Jewish American Heritage Month; and seven different federal agencies are a part of the celebration. The federal government’s Jewish American Heritage Month web portal introduces stories of Jewish Americans, electronic exhibits and collections, and images of famous Jewish Americans like Leonard Bernstein, Betty Friedan, and Edward Koch. Agencies responsible for the website include the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. One story that is especially interesting from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, is that of Jewish Parachutists from Palestine. This was a group of men and women who signed up to help the British Army parachute into German-occupied Europe as aid to Allied personnel. The National Register of Historic Places also features structures and parks related to Jewish Heritage on their Jewish American Heritage Month 2009 website. The new National Museum of American Jewish History will open next year in Philadelphia, P.A and features “one of the nation’s largest collection of Jewish Americana.” Take a look at the new structure and visit their website!

Federal Grants Support Your Local Farmers Market
Indiana’s Farmers Markets offer a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from strawberries and blueberries to melons, asparagus, and especially corn. Farmers Markets are one of the best ways to support your local economy as well as enjoy various fresh produce. Farmers Markets are widely available and popular, in part, due to the Farmers Market Cost Share Program. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is once again utilizing funds from USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant to offer a cost-share reimbursement program to provide grants to Indiana farmers’ markets. If you are interested in participating in this program, you can get detailed information from the Program Guidance and Application form. There is also a New Vendor Form available.

For guidelines on the Cost Share program, be sure to check out the ISDA’s website. To find a Farmers Market near you, check out the Directory. Finally, for general information and facts about the markets, you can go to the USDA informational website.

Lyme Disease Awareness Highlighted This May
Summer is coming and that means that people are spending a lot more time outside. Unfortunately, being outside means an increased exposure to ticks and Lyme Disease. That is why May has been declared Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Lyme Disease is spread through tick bites – specifically, through the bites of Blacklegged Ticks, also known as Deer Ticks. Lone star Ticks and Dog Ticks (also known as Wood Ticks) are not known to carry the disease. Be sure to visit the CDC page on Lyme Disease Transmission to compare images of the different species. Medline Plus, Lyme Disease is characterized by a fever, headache, muscle ache, joint swelling, and a rash that usually resembles a bullseye. Lyme Disease can be cured by antibiotics, particularly if it is caught early on. Although you cannot catch Lyme Disease from your pets, it is important to check them for ticks when they come in from outside. You don’t want them getting the painful disease either!

Statistics provided by the CDC show that Indiana has a very low rate of infection. In 2007, there were only 55 reported cases (as compared to 1814 reported cases in Wisconsin). However, if you are camping or traveling to another state, particularly on the East Coast, make sure to take precautions. These include insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved clothing. See the CDC for complete instructions.

USPS Adds Their Two Cents to Postage Stamps
Starting Monday, May 11, the US Postal Service increased its postage rates. First class stamps increased from $0.42 to $0.44. Forever stamps may also be used under the new rates, regardless of what price they were purchased at. For a complete list of the change in price, see the USPS website. Not all rates have changed – as per the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PL 109-453), mailing rates increase every May, while parcel rates increase in January.

STATS Indiana Update
Can’t locate the Indiana data you need? Check out Stats Indiana, and you’ll see a brand new interface. Explore Profiles, Data by Topic, and Data by Location. Are you looking for graphics to complete that report? Try the Dashboard Indicators, a collection of charts covering popular economic indicators such as Jobs, Income, Unemployment, and Population counts. Under Additional Resources, there are Tools including an Inflation Calculator, a Nationwide City-to-County Finder, and a more detailed A to Z guide by topic. On the right-hand side of the page, find links to today’s data trends and a variety publications like the Indiana Business Research Center’s InContext.

by Katharine Springer, Elisabeth O’Donnell, & Kim Brown-Harden
Events
Indiana Center for the Book Receives National Award
May 13th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Yesterday, the Indiana Center for the Book received the 2009 Boorstin Center for the Book Award for innovative reading-promotion efforts. National Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole presented the Boorstin Award to Roberta L. Brooker, Indiana State Librarian, and Drew Griffis, Director of the Indiana Center for the Book, at a lunchtime reception during the annual Center for the Book meeting and ideas exchange at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Cole praised the Indiana Center for the Book for its resurrection of the state program that has grown markedly over the past two years.

“The success of the Indiana Center for the Book shows the importance of top-level support for the program,” said Cole. “We are expecting big things from the Indiana Center for the Book in the future.”

The revitalization of the Indiana Center for the Book has been a top priority for Brooker since her appointment as State Librarian in July of 2007. Since then, the Center for the Book has grown its two primary programs, Letters About Literature and The Best Books of Indiana Competition, and added two more statewide programs. The Center has also partnered with local and statewide organizations on many other projects. The Center for the Book is currently developing several major initiatives, such as the Indiana Literary Map, and partnering with national organizations like River of Words to enhance statewide programming.

“Receiving the Boorstin Award is an enormous honor for the Indiana Center for the Book and it’s also a great surprise,” said Griffis. “We are still a year or two away from being one of the top Center’s in the nation, which is why it’s very special to be recognized for building this solid foundation for the future.”

The Boorstin Award includes a $1,000 cash stipend to be used for Indiana Center for the Book projects and initiatives. Funds to support the awards were donated to the Center for the Book by Ruth F. Boorstin, wife of former Librarian of Congress Daniel J. Boorstin (1975-1987). Boorstin, who passed away in 2004, established the Center for the Book in 1977.

“The Boorstin Award is the highest award any state Center for the Book can receive,” said Brooker. “We look forward to exceeding the high expectations set by ourselves and others by continuing to offer literary programs that touch Hoosiers of all ages.”

Check out the Indiana Center for the Book’s website for more information about participating, promoting, and partnering in Center programs and initiatives.

Teachers, Librarians invited to Picturing America Workshop
Social studies and art teachers (K-12), media specialists, and children’s librarians are invited to a free one-day workshop at the Indianapolis Museum of Art that will help them use Picturing America resources in their classrooms and programs. Picturing America, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities, brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Over 1200 Indiana schools and libraries received sets of the quality reproductions. Through this innovative program, students and citizens can gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art.

Participants will receive a stipend of $75 to offset expenses, and lunch will be provided. Teachers can earn 2 CRUs. More information about the workshop, including downloadable registration forms, is available on the Indiana Humanities Council’s website.

State Library’s
Reference Hotline
866-683-0008
eReference

More Library News:
Anderson Herald Bulletin: Waterbed gardening program set at library
Decatur Daily Democrat: Grant will help buy library cards
Greene County Daily World: Bloomfield library to ‘pretty up’ south entrance
Lafayette Journal & Courier: WL library may automate checkouts
Library Technology Guide: Greenwood Public Library (Ind.) Goes Evergreen
LISWire: Georgia PINES Survey: Evergreen Delivers
Muncie Star Press: Letter: Library should remain local, not consolidated
New Albany Tribune: Pizza and Preservation tonight at New Albany-Floyd County Library
Southside Times (Beech Grove): Genealogy researcher to offer tips for tracing Civil War ancestry
Terre Haute Tribune Star: BOOK BATTLE: Dixie Bee edges Meadows in annual reading contest
Events, Grants
NELINET to Join Lyrasis, Expand Opportunities
April 22nd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

The Boards of Directors of NELINET and Lyrasis recently approved a resolution to recommend NELINET join Lyrasis. Together, Lyrasis and NELINET will comprise the largest membership collaborative of its kind serving more than 4,500 libraries and cultural heritage institutions in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern U.S., and Indiana. The leadership of both organizations recognize this is an exciting opportunity for these successful, membership-driven organizations to join together to serve their diverse library communities.

Kate Nevins, Chief Executive Officer of Lyrasis, said, “This integration will allow both organizations to continue to provide our current broad range of services as well as implement new and innovative ones to meet the evolving needs of our members.”

Final action must be approved by an affirmative vote from both organizations in early June. If approved, NELINET would become part of Lyrasis by the Fall of 2009.

The Indiana State Library joined SOLINET (now Lyrasis) in July 2008 to connect all Indiana libraries with the additional programming and services, expanded education curriculum, consortial savings opportunities, and expanded capacity for innovation offered by the nation’s leading library cooperative. Indiana’s membership in Lyrasis is now as important as ever due to the changing relationship between the library networks and OCLC.

“Indiana joined SOLINET for the same reasons PALINET later partnered with them to form Lyrasis – more options, more innovation, and more opportunities for collaboration and savings,” said Roberta L. Brooker, Indiana State Librarian. “Lyrasis is the present and future of library networks and Indiana libraries are fortunate to be part of this collaborative.”

For more information about products and services available to Indiana libraries, visit www.lyrasis.org.

SSA Seeks Libraries’ Help Promoting New Initiatives
The Social Security Administration has asked public libraries throughout the country to partner with them to share information with the American public about a wide variety of new and important initiatives.

Specifically, they have asked public libraries to help promote their new national campaign Retire Online. It’s So Easy! This campaign features a new online retirement application that can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. The application is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov, and can easily be completed at any library computer. A brochure on the subject can be viewed online.

Additionally, as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Social Security will distribute a one-time payment of $250 to over 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries. A leaflet which discusses this in greater detail is available online.

Partnering with Social Security to promote these initiatives will benefit the populations you serve. Ways you can do this is linking to the agency’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov and publishing articles about these initiatives in your newsletters or other publications.

If you would like copies of the retire online or one-time payment brochures, or need additional information from Social Security please e-mail Carolyn Houston at Carolyn.Houston@ssa.gov or call her at 410-965-7603. Please indicate the quantity desired (in units of 100) and where the publications should be shipped.

I-LLID Application Process Closes Friday
The Indiana State Library last summer received a $1 million grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services to recruit 30 ethnically diverse students for Indiana’s Librarians Leading in Diversity (I-LLID) project. The first class of 10 students began classes January 12, 2009. Seven students currently attend SLIS – Indianapolis and three students attend SLIS – Bloomington.

Potential candidates for the second class must apply to the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science (IU SLIS) before April 24, 2009. Candidates whose undergrad GPA is below 3.0 should take GRE as soon as possible. Fellows also must be accepted to the SLIS MLS program by June 30, 2009.

The Fellowship Application process is now open until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2009. Applications and more information can be found on the Indiana’s Librarians Leading in Diversity (I-LLID) webpage.

State Library’s
Reference Hotline
866-683-0008
eReference

More Library News:
Anderson Herald Bulletin: At the Library: APL home to Stewart papers
Bedford Times Mail: Library traffic trends up in a down economy
Evansville Courier Press: Families check out new library
Evansville Courier Press: Libraries in 21st century offer more than books
Gary Post-Tribune: Retiring board member wants libraries to stay Goshen College News: Goshen College librarians help make peace archives available online
Hartford City News-Times: Photo journey program on WW II battle site set for April 23 at library
Hendricks County Flyer: GoLibrary comes to Plainfield
Indy Star: Historical Society cuts staff, changes project
Indy Star: After library loss, lessons learned?
Jackson County Banner: Merger set for Jackson County historical and genealogical societies
Jeffersonville Evening News: Jeffersonville leaders look ahead at fate of Carnegie Library
Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue archive opens
LaPorte Herald Argus: Celebrate the Fish Lake library
Library Journal: Growth of Lyrasis, Revamp of Regional Networks Tied to Changing OCLC Relationship
Louisville Courier-Press: Jeffersonville library debate continues
Marion Chronicle Tribune: Libraries tout opportunities for fun, education
Marion Chronicle Tribune: Preserving town’s history
Muncie Star Press: Library planning for conference room
New Albany Tribune: Carnegie Library board seeks opportunities
North Vernon Plain Dealer & Sun: Library offering amnesty before it hands over late accounts to collections agency
South Bend Tribune: Old Francis Branch library closes for good Sat.
Vincennes Sun-Commercial: Library hopes to let the sunshine in
About us, Events
Tour Indiana’s Libraries with State Librarian
April 15th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Please join State Librarian, Roberta L. Brooker, as she tours Indiana’s public libraries, meets Hoosier library professionals, and discovers the creative and innovative ways Indiana’s public libraries serve their communities. Highlights from her first tour stops at the Eckhart Public Library, Jeffersonville Township Public Library and Greenwood Public Library can now be viewed online.

This summer Roberta plans to rev up her tour by visiting several more libraries throughout Indiana. Please be sure to bookmark the Indiana Library Tour website and check back often for updates. If you would like to schedule a tour stop at your library, email agriffis@library.in.gov and we will do our best to accommodate your request and timeframe.

INfo Express Maintaining Rates, Offering Incentives in ‘09
The Indiana State Library is pleased to announce that pricing for INfo Express will remain unchanged during the next service year (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010). Considering the dramatic fluctuations in fuel prices and other economic conditions, we are pleased negotiations with Pillow Express resulted with these stable prices. The only significant change for next year will be that INfo Express payments will be sent and made payable to the State Library.

In addition to keeping prices low, the State Library has added an incentive to promote resource sharing throughout Indiana’s library community. Any library increasing its weekly delivery days AND participating as an active lender through OCLC’s WorldCat or as an Evergreen member library will be provided a special rate. These libraries (and libraries already at 5-days-a-week service) will receive a second day of delivery provided at the subsidized rate of $75 for the year, rather than the normal rate of $425 per weekly stop.

Please find the renewal form and instructions at infoexpress.in.gov. Renewal requests must be received by May 15, 2009. Please contact Mike Hicks at (317) 232-3699, toll free (877) 835-0014 or vial email at dhicks@library.in.gov with additional questions or for more information.

Historical Bureau Hosting Authors’ Event on April 25th
The Indiana Historical Bureau will welcome authors Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Hillman and John Murphy for a book signing event on Saturday, April 25, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m (EDT) at the Indiana State Library and Historical Building in Indianapolis.

Scott Russell Sanders’s recently released, A Conservationist Manifesto, shows the crucial relevance of a conservation ethic at a time of mounting concern about global climate change, depletion of natural resources, extinction of species, and the economic inequities between rich and poor nations. The important message of this powerful book is that conservation is not simply a personal virtue but a public one.

Jim Hillman and John Murphy co-authored Indianapolis Social Clubs which provides nearly 200 rare vintage photographic memories that capture the heart, soul, and history of the clubs. Defining Indianapolis, the clubs were stoic agents of power and segregation, providing clear historical snapshots of Hoosier pomp and circumstance. A display of images from the book will be shown during this event.

A Conservationist Manifesto is priced at $19.95 for paperback and $50.00 for cloth. Indianapolis Social Clubs is available in paperback only for $21.99. Libraries will receive a 25% discount on these titles if purchased for public use. Librarians and teachers receive a 20% discount if the books are for personal use. If you would like signed copies of either title, please contact Matt Allison at mallison@history.IN.gov or 317-232-2535 by April 20th.

State Library’s
Reference Hotline
866-683-0008
eReference

More Library News:
Chesterton Tribune: Thomas Library very busy as recession deepens
Columbus Republic: Rare books to leave southern Indiana library
eSchool News: Why open-source library software is a trend
Fort Wayne Daily News: Libraries seek diversity fellows
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Library diesel cleanup done
Greene County Daily World: It’s National Library Week
Indy Star: Central Library case now in jury’s hands
Lafayette Journal & Courier: Inspiring through verse: Dove to speak at Purdue
Muncie Free Press: Donating Books Helps Libraries and the Environment
New Albany News and Tribune: Leadership Southern Indiana hosts panel which discusses local government reform in Indiana
Northwest Indiana Times: Terry Baer draws from nature, life for his drawings, paintings Warsaw Times-Union: Access Testing, Career Resources Through Inspire
Washington Times-Herald: Bower captures ‘Soul of Indiana’
Washington Times-Herald: New library branch opens in Plainville
WPTA-TV – Fort Wayne: Library Prepares for Priceless Lincoln Collection

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Events

Events, Friday Facts, Resources

Take Time to Honor National Heroes this Weekend

Events, Friday Facts, Resources

May Honors Jewish American Heritage

Events

Indiana Center for the Book Receives National Award

Events, Grants

NELINET to Join Lyrasis, Expand Opportunities

About us, Events

Tour Indiana’s Libraries with State Librarian