A newsletter for friends and employees of Georgia's public libraries
volume 5, issue 1 I August 2007
Staff
British Columbia follows Georgia's lead with `BC PINES'
The Evergreen software developed
by Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) continues to gain steam as the software of choice for libraries seeking an open-source integrated library system (ILS).
The Public Library Services Branch of the British Columbia Ministry of Education has announced that it will begin implementation of its own Evergreen-powered system in October. The network, based on Georgia's PINES model, will be called "BC PINES." In both cases, PINES is short for Public Information Network for Electronic Services. In its strategic plan announced in April, the Association of BC Public Library Directors stated: "We hope that eventually all public libraries in BC will join and that the vision of the `Libraries
On June 23, at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., an overflow crowd of more than 300 people lined up to attend "The Open ILS: Pines, the Evergreen Open-ILS Program and the University of Rochester Extensible Catalog Project." The 90-minute program was presented by Georgia Deputy State Librarian David Singleton and the University of Rochester's Jennifer Bowen.
Without Walls' Strategic Plan can be fully realized for the benefit of all."
Evergreen is the operating system for the new Web-based PINES catalog that features book covers, reviews, tables of contents and a
variety of easy-to-use searches that allow library users to locate materials quickly and efficiently throughout the system. The software also includes a wealth of security enhancements designed to protect
See Evergreen, page 7
Governor greenlights three library contruction projects
On May 30, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed into law
House bill HB95, authorizing Georgia's fiscal year 2008 budget, which began July 1, 2007. As part of the bill, Perdue approved three of the state Legislature's recommended public library construction projects for fiscal year 2008:
I $1,545,000 for construction of the West Georgia Regional Library System's North Paulding Public Library;
I $1,035,000 for construction of the Uncle Remus Regional Library System's Jasper County Public Library; and
I $2,000,000 for construction of the Porter See Budget, page 5
Twenty professionals picked for PINNACLE's class of 2008
Georgia Public Library Service has announced the
inaugural class of PINNACLE, the Public Library Institute for New and Creative Leadership Education.
Selected as members of the PINNACLE class of 2008 are: Jimmy Bass, head of the Newnan-Coweta Public Library; Ted Bazemore, virtual services librarian with the Clayton County Library System (CCLS); Brijin Boddy, head of the teen department for the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library (CVRL) in Columbus; Anne Bowen, deputy director of the Ocmulgee Regional Librarty System in Eastman; Sarah Boyd, head of the adult services department with CVRL; Lecia Eubanks, director of the Cherokee Regional Library in Lafayette; Trudi Green, team leader for information services for the
See PINNACLE, page 2
PINNACLE
Continued from page 1
Athens Regional Library System
(ARLS); Sandy Hester, director of
the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County
Library; Gina Jenkins, principal
librarian/branch manager for the
Bass
DeKalb County Public Library; and
Colleen Knight, adult services
librarian with the Bartow County
Library System.
Bazemore
Boddy
Bowen
Boyd
Also selected as PINNACLE members for 2008 are: Jo Lahmon, branch manager for the Cobb County Public Library System; Lisa MacKinney, assistant director of the Hall County Library System; Beata Mengel, youth services librarian with CCLS; Ashley Moore, assistant branch manager for the Gwinnett County Public Library; Karen Odom, head librarian at Houston County Public Libraries' Centerville branch; Jill Prouty, library administrator with the Flint River Regional Library System's Peachtree City Library; Susan Stephens, director of the Chattooga County Library System; Jeff Tomlinson, assistant director of the Uncle Remus Regional Library System in Madison; Leigh Wiley, librarian with the DeSoto Trail Regional Library in Camilla; and Beverly Williams, subregional manager for the Georgia Library for Accessible Services in Atlanta (GLASS).
The goal of the program is to ensure the future of high-quality library leadership across the state. Attendees must hold a master of library science, a master of science in library science or a master of library and information science degree; be currently employed in a public library in Georgia; and have at least two years of professional experience.
"We had an extremely strong and diverse group of applicants," said David Singleton, deputy state
Eubanks
Green
Hester
Jenkins
Knight
Lahmon
MacKinney
Mengel
Moore
Odom
Prouty
Stephens
Tomlinson
Wiley
Williams
librarian. "I am very impressed by the qualifications and very encouraged by the leadership potential of the 20 selected candidates. I believe that PINNACLE can become a national model for training the next generation of library leaders."
The institute begins with a oneweek retreat in November and will include eight monthly two-day sessions, culminating at the fall 2008 convention of the Georgia Council of Media Organizations.
Session topics at PINNACLE 2007-2008 will include situational leadership, time management, analytical and creative problem
solving, financial management and performance measures, human resource management and administrative law, managing conflict and group dynamics, ethics, power, best practices, process improvement, project coaching, media relations, leadership in a political environment and effective presentations.
One session will include training in the Public Library Association's sixstep planning model, "Planning for Results," which provides an acclaimed results-driven approach to meeting community needs and developing means to anticipate future demands.
See PINNACLE, page 7
2
Georgia Public Library Service News August 2007
Twin Lakes Library System launches publishing venture
If necessity is the mother of
and delivery to Lulu. "At the end of
Thus far, the company has
invention, the Twin Lakes Library
each quarter," Reese said, "the
published Railroading in Milledgeville
System has every reason to beam
company sends us a check for the
by Charles Brown, a new edition --
about its latest offspring. This past
revenues our content generated."
the fifth -- of Milledgeville:
October, the system founded Old
Georgia's Antebellum Capital by
Capital Press, a publishing company
The books look and feel like
James Bonner and Yesterplace:
that has so far issued three books
regular books from other publishers, Growing Up in Post World War II
with strong regional ties.
Reese said. "That's the great thing
Georgia by Susan Lindsey.
about it. You can't tell who did the
"The company is a source of
printing. You can order hardback
Technically, the company is a
additional revenue for us," said
and paperback books in different
division of the Twin Lakes' Friends
Library Director Barry Reese, "but, sizes, and the quality is very high."
organization, which receives the
more importantly, it allows us to
proceeds and uses them on the
provide a much-needed public
Old Capital Press is currently a
system's behalf.
service by publishing local authors
three-person operation. Reese
and by keeping local works in print." handles the business side of things,
"The amount we make off each
including all rights clearances.
sale varies a bit from project to
Using a company called Lulu,
Reference Librarian Kell Carpenter is project," Reese said. "Basically, the
Old Capital Press doesn't have to
more we charge, the more we
LaToya Davidson
pay a printer for anything except
make, but the fewer sales we're
the copies it actually needs to fill
likely to have. So we try to keep
customers' orders or to put on
our cover prices relatively low.
the library system's shelves.
For example, Yesterplace has a
cover price of $16.00. The cost
"We can order only one or
of printing each copy is $9.33, so
two copies at a time if we wish,"
we make a profit of $6.67 from
Reese said. "If a title shows
each book sold."
promise outside middle Georgia,
we can purchase an ISBN
The contracts that Old
(International Standard Book
Capital Press has with its authors
Number), and that allows us to
give them full copyright on their
also get it listed through other
works but gives the company
retailers, such as Barnes & Noble
exclusive publishing rights for
and Amazon.com.
five years, at which time the
agreement can be renewed if
In business for the past five
both parties wish. "We start off
years, Lulu is an independent
at a fifty-fifty split on profits,"
publishing marketplace for digital
Reese explained, "but depending
do-it-yourselfers. The company
on the amount of formatting
allows individuals or organiza-
and editing we have to do, that
tions such as Twin Lakes to publish and sell a variety of digital-based items -- from books
From left: Reese, Smith and Carpenter show off the first offerings from Old Capital Press.
breakdown can change. For one upcoming book, the library will get 80 percent of profits because
and music to calendars and even
of all the work that was needed
movies. Control of the content
responsible for selecting appropriate to prepare it for publication. In
remains totally in the hands of those fonts, formatting the manuscripts
another case, the author wanted the
who created it.
and designing the books and covers. library system to receive all the
Network Administrator David
profits."
Twin Lakes staff identify the
Smith handles related document
books they would like to publish,
scanning and ensures that all files
Since October, Old Capital Press
use Lulu's online tools to create the
meet Lulu's criteria for print-on-
has sold nearly 700 books and
prototype, then leave the printing
demand publication.
See Publishing, page 7
3
August 2007 Georgia Public Library Service News
Public Library Association
ARLS wins Highsmith
Innovation Award
The Public Library Association (PLA) has named the
Athens Regional Library System (ARLS) as winner of its 2007 Highsmith Library Innovation Award. This is the first Georgia library system to receive the honor since the award was introduced in 1997.
The Highsmith Library Innovation Award recognizes a public library's innovative and creative service program to the community. The winner was selected based on a variety of criteria, including the collaborative efforts of the staff and community in the planning and implementation process and the sustainability of the program over time.
ARLS received the award for the expansive, multipronged outreach program it has developed for the area's growing Hispanic community.
The centerpiece of those efforts is the Pinewoods Library and Community Learning Center, which offers library materials and language instruction in both Spanish and English, 14 public access computers, classroom instruction on computer use, tutorial programs, health education seminars, parenting workshops, art classes and other special interest programs.
"Our first goal in opening the center two years ago was to help increase the educational level of the immigrant Mexican population living in Athens," said Kathryn Ames, director of ARLS. "Our second goal was to increase the use of the library and arts center facilities by the Mexican community. Our third goal was to provide opportunities for educational and cultural exchange between the Mexican community and the established community, nurturing understanding between the two."
Kathryn Ames (center) accepts the Highsmith Innovation Award from Susan Hildreth (left), 2006-2007 PLA president, and Matt Mulder, director of Highsmith Publications.
Still another unique activity sponsored by ARLS is a program called "Family to Family," which encourages Mexican families to meet with Athens families and share a variety of cultural activities. ARLS has also been a multiple recipient of American Library Association travel grants to attend the Guadalajara Book Festival, where system employees have been able to obtain high-quality library materials in Spanish, as well as many bilingual items that are not available from traditional library vendors in the United States.
"This award is the culmination of tremendous work by our library staff and partners in the Pinewoods program," Ames said. "It's a great honor for the library system, the Lyndon House Arts Center and the community. The local community has been very supportive of our activities. Without its financial and personal commitment, the program could not have become a success."
According to Miguel Vicente, coordinator of the Pinewoods center, its annual use statistics -- including participation in English-to-Speakers-of-Other-Languages classes, book circulation, computer use and tutorial assistance -- have shown an increase of approximately 800 percent in two years.
Across the library system, volunteer Spanish students teach "Survival Spanish" for English-speaking community members. ARLS participates in "Plaza Comunitaria," a distance education program sponsored by the Mexican government that enables Mexican-born patrons to improve their literacy skills, earn high school diplomas and receive vocational training.
The library was officially recognized June 25 at the PLA President's Program featuring author Armistead Maupin at the 2007 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. At the ceremony, Ames accepted a check for $2,000 and a plaque from Highsmith.
From the podium, she thanked PLA, Highsmith, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and each of the library's Georgia partners, including the Lyndon House Arts Center, the College of Education and the Office of International Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia, Athens Transit, Catholic Social Services and the Clarke County School District. She also praised Vicente "and the wonderful families of Pinewoods." I
4
Georgia Public Library Service News August 2007
GPLS collaborates with Canadian
COMO early literacy
libraries on Evergreen development pre-conference
to feature Ghoting
The Public Library Services Branch of
the British Columbia Ministry of Education has joined Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS), Lawrencevillebased Equinox Software and the University of Windsor, Ontario, to
Branch BC, and G.W. Brian Owen, associate university librarian at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, led the BC effort.
Earlier this year, GPLS held a
GPLS will sponsor a full-day
pre-conference on Oct. 17, prior to the Georgia Council of Media Organizations (COMO) Annual Conference on Jekyll Island.
develop an acquisitions module for the Evergreen open-source integrated library system.
series of focus groups across the state, gathering individuals from the library community to discuss how
Saroj Ghoting, a noted early literacy consultant, will present "Every Child Ready to
The acquisitions module will provide libraries using Evergreen the ability to access multiple vendor databases, create selection lists for materials purchasing, obtain new title data from all sources through a common interface and reduce shipping and transaction costs, as well as the time and costs associated with integrating new materials into individual or consortium catalogs.
Evergreen can best address the library world's needs for an integrated acquisitions system. While PINES libraries were well-represented in these sessions, acquisitions and technology specialists from non-PINES libraries and many academic libraries also attended, including representatives from Canada. On the heels of these focus groups, the University of Windsor signed on to become GPLS's first international partner for the
Read @ Your Library." An initiative of the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children, the program has been adopted by numerous library systems across the country and is proving valuable to and popular with patrons, said Elaine Black, director of Children's Services. The program will help prepare parents to be their child's first
To kick off the collaboration,
project. Art Rhyno, systems librarian at the university's Leddy Library, leads
teacher.
British Columbia's libraries served as the Windsor team.
The cost of the pre-confer-
a primary sponsor of AcqFest, a four-
ence will be $25. For details
day code-writing project that took
Staff members from Windsor,
about this and other sessions,
place in Suwanee July 19-22. Ben
Lawrenceville and Atlanta immedi-
visit www.georgiacomo.org. I
Hyman, manager of policy and
ately began work on technical
technology for Public Library Services specifications and created a frame-
IMLS collection-care
work for the module based on the Apache Open For Business Project, OFBiz, an open-source enterprise
Budget
Continued from page 1
forum debuts in Atlanta automation software. Representatives
Memorial Branch Library in
from BC joined staff from Windsor,
The Institute of Museum and Library Lawrenceville and Atlanta for AcqFest,
Newton County.
Services has announced that Atlanta where developers and programmers
Earlier, Gov. Perdue added $2
will be the kickoff site for "Connect- built upon that framework.
million to the FYO8 budget to help
ing to Collections: The National
libraries purchase new books, with
Tour," a series of four forums to be
According to Brad LaJeunesse, both House and Senate approving.
held in major American cities during president of Equinox, "We worked to Vetoed were funds earmarked for the
2008 and 2009. The goal of the tour adapt OFBiz to better align with the
expansion and renovation of the
is to raise awareness of collections
language used in the library world,
Nancy Guinn Memorial Library in
care in small and mid-sized museums create a data transport mechanism
Conyers and funds for the
and libraries. All meetings will focus between OFBiz and Evergreen and fill construction of the Fairplay Public
on collections-care expertise, related in software gaps based on needs
Library, the Pierce County Library, the
technology, connecting to the
identified by the focus groups."
Senoia Public Library and the
public, and fundraising. The Atlanta
Grantville Public Library. These
forum is scheduled for Jan. 24-25, 2008, at the High Museum of Art. I
The acquisitions module is slated for release in spring 2008. I
projects likely will be reevaluated in the next fiscal year budget process. I 5
August 2007 Georgia Public Library Service News
NEWS IN BRIEF
Tamara George is the new library director of the Cobb County Public Library System. She replaces Gail Rogers, who retired May 31 after serving 16 years as director.
The Coweta
County Library
System became a
single-county
system on July 1,
with Barbara
Osborne-Harris
as its library
director. The
system has
Osborne-Harris
branches in
Grantville, Newnan and Senoia.
Troup-Harris Regional Library is the name of the new regional library system for those counties. JoEllen Ostendorf continues as director for the system, which will be joining Georgia's PINES network on Aug. 27.
State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch has been named to the board of directors of the Southern Council of State Library Agencies.
John Szabo, director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System,
has been elected to serve as a delegate to the Online Computer Library Center Members Council by SOLINET, a not-for-profit library cooperative serving the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean.
Four library directors have been elected to the Regents Public Library Advisory Committee (RPLAC): Nick Fogarty of the Sequoyah Regional Library System, Donna Howell of the Mountain Regional Library System, Barry Reese of the Twin Lakes Library System and Carolyn Fuller of the Henry County Library System. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia formed RPLAC to help ensure financial and legislative support for library systems, review legislation involving public libraries and propose solutions to challenges facing public libraries. The committee consists of 12 directors from both rural and urban library systems.
PINES Director Elizabeth McKinney de Garcia and GLASS Director Stella Cone have been selected to attend the 2007 COSLA Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Library and Information Studies. The weeklong
executive leadership institute for Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) examines public sector leadership, public policy, advocacy, crisis/conflict resolution, collaboration and finance.
The Georgia Library Association has named Miguel Vicente, coordinator of the Athens Regional Library System's Pinewoods Library and Community Learning Center, the winner of this year's Beard Scholarship. The scholarship is made possible by friends and colleagues of the late Charles Beard, who served in the library profession for almost 40 years. The scholarship provides financial assistance toward completing a master's degree in library science for candidates who show strong potential to inspire and motivate their peers.
Karen Odom, head librarian at Houston County Public Libraries' Centerville branch, has been invited to serve a two-year appointment to the American Library Association's Young Adults Library Services Association Division and Membership Promotion Committee. Her term began in July. I
Saralyn Ingram Christine Hoskins
Checks and balances
The Houston County Friends of the Library's annual used book sale raised more than $23,000 this year. The system used the funds to pay for the summer reading program, books on tape, large-print books and a microfiche machine. From left are Glenda Thompson, head librarian at the Nola Brantley Public Library in Warner Robins; Marsha Christy, director of Houston County Public Libraries; Nancy Granger, head librarian at the Perry Public Library; Pam Yates, president of Houston County Friends of the Library; and Karen Odom, head librarian at the Centerville Public Library.
Preservation haul
The Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board awarded the Augusta Public Library a preservation grant of $5,750 for a restoration project at the Appleby Branch Library. Library Director Gary Swint (right) accepts the grant from Spencer Swinson, Bonnie Bounds and Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board President Molly Newsome.
6
Georgia Public Library Service News August 2007
Publishing
Continued from page 3 earned a net profit of more than $3,000. "It's not the biggest moneymaker, but it certainly has gotten our name out in the community," Reese said. "We've gotten excellent press coverage, and by keeping local works in print, this project helps us meet our desire to promote literacy and the printed word in Baldwin County and across Georgia."
Other library systems have expressed interest in similar ventures, Reese said, and Twin Lakes staff members are offering their support.
Susan Whittle, director of the Southwest Georgia Regional Library, visited Twin Lakes in June. "I am mightily impressed," Whittle said.
"Barry, Kell and David are doing a really wonderful thing, and we are definitely going to follow suit through our foundation to bring
some of our local books back into print."
The Decatur
County-Gilbert
H. Gragg
Foundation
already has
Whittle
provided the seed money for
Southwest Georgia to reprint
Prologue by Maston O'Neal. A lost
history of the South Georgia-Florida
Panhandle-Coastal Alabama area by
the late U.S. representative from
Bainbridge, Prologue has been out
of print for more than a decade. "We've had numerous requests for that book," Whittle said, "and the guidance I received from Barry and his staff has really made me feel like we can reprint it before Christmas."
Back in Baldwin County, Old Capital Press has four additional books in the works for 2007. One is a history of the Twin Lakes Library System, another a compilation of works by Bonner, who was a wellknown local historian. A third will be a collection of short stories and poetry by local authors, and the fourth a memoir with regional ties.
The Twin Lakes/Old Capital Press bookstore can be found online at www.lulu.com/tllsmv. I
PINNACLE
Evergreen
Continued from page 2 Ten mentors, including all five members of PINNACLE's
steering committee, have volunteered to serve, and each will be assigned to work with two class members. The steering committee includes Singleton; Lyn Hopper, assistant state librarian for library development; Julie Walker, assistant state librarian for technology support services and strategic initiatives; Kathryn Ames, director of ARLS; and Greg Heid, director of the Newton County Library System. Joining them as mentors will be Stella Cone, director of GLASS; Susan Cooley, director of the Sara Hightower Regional Library in Rome; Dusty Gres, director of the Ohoopee Regional Library in Vidalia; Lois Roberts, director of the Statesboro Regional Library; and Claudya Muller, director of CVRL. "Together, our exceptional group of mentors has more than 200 years of experience in the library profession," said Singleton, "and each brings nationally recognized leadership and management skills to share with our first PINNACLE class."
The PINNACLE steering committee worked with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG), a public service and outreach unit of the University of Georgia, to design the curriculum, and CVIOG will lead the training sessions. PINNACLE is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Georgia Public Library Service under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. I
Continued from page 1 the personal information of patrons who use the service from their homes or from public-access computers at their local libraries. Also, because Evergreen is open-source and therefore royalty-free, and because it runs on the Linux operating system and inexpensive commodity hardware, the software saves taxpayers a considerable amount of money in licensing and support fees.
According to Ben Hyman, manager of policy and technology for Public Library Services Branch BC, public library facilities in Prince Rupert, Powell River, Fort Nelson and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District will serve as pilot libraries for the BC system. Another 30 have requested to join as soon as possible, with several of those hoping to go live with Evergreen early in 2008. The phased implementation of Evergreen throughout the province will take place over the coming five years.
"We are extremely pleased that British Columbia has chosen to follow Georgia's lead in adopting Evergreen as its new ILS," said State Librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch. "BC's decision is a monumental validation of Georgia's vision of a consortial, open-source ILS. We eagerly welcome our northern neighbors as full partners in the implementation and continued development of PINES and Evergreen to benefit millions of library users." I
7
August 2007 Georgia Public Library Service News
Staff
CONTACT US
Georgia Public Library Service 1800 Century Place, Suite 150 Atlanta, GA 30345-4304 404.235.7200 404.235.7201 fax www.georgialibraries.org
Lamar Veatch, state librarian
David Baker, editor
Georgia Public Library Service News (ISSN 1546-511X) is published bimonthly by the Georgia Public Library Service, the state agency that supports public libraries and works with them to improve the quality and variety of library services available to Georgia citizens of all ages.
This publication is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Georgia Public Library Service under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.
Information presented in this newsletter will be provided in alternative formats on request. For more information about Georgia's libraries and literary events, or to post an event, visit our online calendar at www.georgialibraries.org
Georgia librarians' "Day on the Hill"
In June, dozens of Georgia librarians attended the American Library Association's 2007 Conference and Library Day on the Hill festivities in Washington, D.C. Among those who helped ALA show members of Congress how much libraries mean to our state are: Julie Walker, assistant state librarian; Nick Fogarty, director of the Sequoyah Regional Library System (SRLS); Sharon Blank, public services librarian with the Screven-Jenkins Regional Library; Dr. Lamar Veatch, state librarian; Catherine Vanstone, librarian with the Southwest Georgia Regional Library; Elaine Hardy, GPLS's library services manager for collections and reference; David Singleton, deputy state librarian; Lisa Rigsby, director of the DeSoto Trail Regional Library System; Leann Boyd, information services librarian at South Georgia College; and Susan White, assistant director of operations for SRLS.
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