Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom

When the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act was enacted in 2002, librarians hoped that it would provide some clarity on copyright exceptions for the digital delivery of content for distance education. In reality, understanding what is permitted under the TEACH Act in combination with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and existing exceptions like fair use have become more confusing to many practitioners.

The American Library Association (ALA)  and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) have prepared  “Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom” (PDF file) to provide guidance on digital delivery of content to the physical classroom. This is to clarify what is permitted under the TEACH Act of 2002 in combination with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and existing exceptions, such as fair use.
Read Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom for a clear explanation of what you can and cannot do.

As seen in the District Dispatch, Sept. 10, 2009

ACT NOW! Contact Your Legislator Today!

State budget cuts have put Illinois libraries in jeopardy just at a time when usage is soaring. Don't Delay! The time to act is NOW, before things get worse!

If you have already contacted your legislator, THANK YOU! But your job isn't over! Please contact him or her again via another method--fax a letter, phone with your message, or visit your legislator! We want each legislator to receive 250 contacts so spread the message!

Go to SaveIllinoisLibraries.com, the Illinois library community's response to the grant funding cuts. Let legislators know that their constituents are passionate about keeping their libraries open and funded. At SaveIllinoisLibraries.com you'll see:

• Links to send email messages to your legislators via CapWiz
• Details of the pledge we're asking our legislators to make to Illinois libraries
• Tips on ways to take action on this issue
• A website badge you can put on your library's homepage to show your support
• Stories about library usage, libraries' needs, and the effect of the cuts -- and a place for you to tell your story, too
• A listing of Illinois legislators noting the "good guys" who have signed the pledge. We only have ONE to date!
• A link to a Facebook site that has 900+ fans! Become a fan and increase the fan base by posting info on your personal and library Facebook accounts.

Visit http://www.saveillinoislibraries.com today! Time is of the essence: the Illinois General Assembly will convene this week on Wednesday, October 14, for the Veto Session. The legislators are focused on the budget and they need to hear from the library community.

Send your message today and be prepared with six (6) other email addresses when you do so. You will be prompted to add in these addresses. We need many advocates to make this campaign effective.

For more information about the campaign to Save Illinois Libraries, here's a blog post.

Save Illinois Libraries!

In response to the recent cuts to system funding and library grants, the library community is launching a campaign to secure the future of Illinois libraries. The kickoff for this statewide advocacy campaign, Save Illinois Libraries, will take place during the Illinois Library Association conference on Thursday, October 8, with all activities completed by October 23. Secretary of State/State Librarian Jesse White will be on hand to provide remarks and show his support for this event. Entrance to the exhibits is free, providing an excellent opportunity to show your support for Illinois libraries as we work towards regaining our funding.

Here's what you need to do...

Together We Can...Tell Us How Survey

Together We Can...Tell Us How is the statewide website being launched on March 1 by University of Illinois Extension to gather input from Illinois residents on their educational needs. The survey focuses on 10 board issue areas and topics related to each area. The Illinois library systems and local libraries have been asked to partner with University of Illinois Extension staff located throughout the state to help promote library patrons' participation.

Extension staff will be visiting local libraries to discuss and provide materials for promoting participation. The materials to be provided by Extension include:

• Information for posting the link http://TellUs.extension.uiuc.edu on local library websites (note: this link will not work until the March 1 launch date).
• A small tabletop sign and a supply of bookmarks that include information about the website and survey that can be placed for the public to pick up near public accessible computers, information desks, etc.

Partnering with Extension in their efforts to seek and respond to educational needs of the residents in your local areas will be much appreciated.

Award Nominations Open for School and Academic Librarians

Nominations for librarians in schools, colleges, community colleges, and universities begin this week for the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award.

Administered by the American Library Association’s Public Information Office and Campaign for America’s Libraries, the award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of librarians for their efforts to improve the lives of people in their community.

Nominations for school and academic librarians continue through October 15. Nominations for public librarians opened on August 15 and runs through October 1. All nominations are accepted electronically at http://www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian. Tools to help librarians promote the award are available through the "Publicity Tools" link.

Up to 10 librarians in public, school, and academic libraries will be honored at a ceremony and reception in New York at TheTimesCenter, hosted by The New York Times. Each winner also will receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque, and a $500 travel stipend to attend the awards reception. In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.

Nominees will be judged by a selection committee based on quality of service to library users, demonstrated knowledge of the library and its resources, and commitment shown in helping library users.

Each nominee must be a librarian with a master’s degree from a program accredited by the ALA in library and information studies or a master’s degree with a specialty in school library media from an educational unit accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Nominees must be currently working in the United States in a public library, a library at an accredited two or four year college or university, or at an accredited K-12 school.

For more information, visit http://www.ilovelibraries.org/ilovemylibrarian.

Marketing Roundtable Tours Special Library at BP

The DuPage Library System's marketing group toured the BP Central Research Library in Naperville on July 30. We thank Electronic Resources Librarian Nancy Maloney for volunteering to host the event, along with Joyce Fedeczko, Information Resources Director and DLS board member.

Meeting attendees learned the history of BP's library, how it serves the global corporation, and received an overview of its print and electronic collections.

Fedeczko told the group about promotional ads on special libraries that were placed in the Wall Street Journal by the Special Libraries Association and Dow Jones and Company.

She stressed how libraries are inter-related. "We have more in common with public libraries than not," said Fedeczko.

Maloney addressed the library's reciprocal borrowing and lending, as well as customer service. "Never underestimate the customer service part of libraries," she said.

View more photos here.

The next marketing roundtable will be held on October 31st, 2008 at Addison Public Library. We will learn about the new library and take a tour. In addition, Carol Stream Public Library's Julie Blackwell will lead us in a short brainstorming exercise. Stay tuned for more information.

C. Berger Group Entrepreneurial Promise Award Winners Named For 2008

C. Berger Group, Inc.(CBG) one of the nation’s oldest library consulting and staffing firms recently announced the names of the three master in library science degree recipients who were selected to receive C. Berger Group, Inc. Entrepreneurial Promise Awards for 2008. CBG funds the prize which is given to graduating students who exhibit unusual creativity, reflect an innovative spirit, and show the most promise for an outstanding career in a special library, nontraditional setting or as an entrepreneur. Carol A. Berger, retired founder of CBG, a former special librarian herself, initiated the gift to encourage interest in special librarianship as a career option and to focus on the qualities and skills needed to succeed in this area. Faculty members selected the students at each institution. Selected at the institutions were:

Jason Gretencord, eighth award winner from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Molly Beverstein, sixth recipient from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dan Braun, sixth recipient from Dominican University.

Tech Roundtable to Focus on ILS

What's new with your library's integrated library system (ILS)? The ILS marketplace has changed a lot in the last few years, and more changes, especially with online catalogs, can be expected. Many DLS libraries have recently changed their ILS or have plans to do so.

The June 17 Technology Roundtable will focus on integrated library systems. There will be a large group discussion first, followed by smaller ILS-specific groups.

"This Roundtable not only offers us the chance to network with colleagues and share your library's plans, but it also provides an opportunity to find out what other libraries are doing," said Jane Plass, DLS' Director of Network Services.

Please register by June 10 via the DLS calendar of events.

Now Available! PSAs for Special & Academic Libraries

Frustrated with the lack of commercials or public service announcements (PSAs) for libraries, the Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Library partnered with Library Production Studio to create videos for special and academic libraries. (PSAs for public and school libraries are in pre-production.) The PSAs will run as commercials between segments of a local access cable show called What’s New in Libraries.

The PSAs have been uploaded to YouTube. Libraries are encouraged to place links to these videos on library intranets and websites. If you’re unable to link to YouTube, you can contact Penny Sympson at the Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. Library for more information. 

"Please help me spread the word about libraries and what they do," shared Penny Sympson.

Space Planning Wiki

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA) have released a new resource for architects and others planning higher education library spaces. In response to frequent inquiries for information about planning academic library buildings, ACRL and LAMA have partnered to develop a basic framework for architects, planners and librarians embarking on planning and design of academic libraries.

The “ACRL/LAMA Guide for Architects” provides convenient access to standards, guidelines, precedents, user studies, furniture, fixtures, equipment and other pertinent resources. A joint interdivisional committee will maintain the guide and address future issues of mutual concern.

The wiki-based guide is featured as a resource in the American Institute of Architects Community of Practice for Architecture Education at http://www.aia.org/cae_default, as well as on the ACRL website at http://wikis.ala.org/acrl/index.php/ACRL/LAMA_Guide_for_Architects.

ACRL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), representing more than 13,500 academic and research librarians and interested individuals. ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic and research librarians. Its initiatives enable the higher education community to understand the role that academic libraries play in the teaching, learning and research environments.

The mission of the Library Administration and Management Association (www.ala.org/lama) is to encourage and nurture current and future library leaders, and to develop and promote outstanding leadership and management practices. LAMA is a division of the American Library Association.