OEMA
NEWSLETTER
Electronic
Newsletter of The Oregon Educational Media Association
Available on the
website at <http://www.oema.net>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Volume 18
No.6
February, 2006
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CONTENTS:
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
the "official"
letter ----- Jim Tindall
(make sure you
read about the possible organization name change )
FROM THE
MEMBERSHIP
1. OEMA Board
Mtg. Summary ------ Jenny Takeda
2. OSLIS for
February ----- Patty Sorensen
3. Read Across
America Links -----
Gregory Lum
4. Region 2 and 3
Conference ----- Carol Dinges
5. Region 6
Conference ----- Jan
6. Seeking YA Book Favorites ----- Gregory
Lum
7. Book
Challenges - where have they happened?
----- The
Board
FROM THE
STATE
1. LSTA grant
proposals-----Mary Kay Dahlgren
2. Pacific
Northwest Children's Book Conference ----- Ruth Murray
3. Read Captions
Across America materials ----- Charleen Hoiland.
FROM ALA, AASL
and BEYOND
1. Looking for an
Online Certification program??
3. Patriot Act
Update
4. President
Bush's FY 2007 Budget Request
5. ALA
Resolution on the Instructional Classification of School
Librarians
===================================================
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FROM THE
PRESIDENT --- Jim
Tindall
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Saturday the OEMA
Board met at Lebanon High School for its quarterly meeting, and some exciting
news follows.
For the past
seven years the board has worked to increase membership, involvement, and
leadership among the media assistants of Oregon in OEMA. I am pleased to
announce the beginning of a new award, the Paraprofessional of the Year Award,
complete with a $200.00 prize thanks to Follett Library Resources and our
Commercial Rep., Steve Baker. Thanks also goes to the committeee of three that
drafted language for the award, Awards Co-chairs Margaret Ogren and Erin
Fitzpatrick-Bjorn and Paraprofessional Rep. Meg Miranda. This is big progress,
and the board hopes everyone reading this will activity encourage participation
in this program to honor paraprofessional in Oregon school
libraries.
The second matter
is that since 2004 the membership has been debating a couple terminology issues,
the names of our job titles and the name of our organization. The board has
tasked me to go to membership and to seek feedback on the appeal of the
following possible bylaws language and thank you Patty Sorensen for drafting
this:
Article 1: The
name of this organization shall be the Oregon Association of School Libraries
(also known as OASL) and hereafter in these bylaws shall be referred to as the
Association. This spring I will traveling to all regional conferences and will
welcome feedback there or more immediately by email. Is this language change
something you want to see?
The third item is
our embracing of teleconferencing
technologies. The second half of February we will be conducting tests using LINK
Conference Service to see how we might more efficiently conduct some business,
increase training to isolated communities, and save on travel expenses. The
Executive Board will discuss and vote on action at our April
8th.
Lastly, the
conference collaborative work of OEMA, OLA, and ORA has paid off. In this
newsletter you will find flier information, request for presentation proposals,
and a registration form. Please support this first time effort at partnering
with your attendance and maybe too with your submission of a proposal idea. The
literacy event is August 3rd and 4th at Linfield College.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FROM THE
MEMBERSHIP
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1. OEMA
Board Mtg. Summary ------ Jenny
Takeda
Secretary's
Report from the February 4 board meeting at Lebanon High
School:
oPatty Sorensen
presented a synopsis of a survey of OEMA and OLA (Oregon Library Association)
board members suggesting ways that the two organizations can collaborate with
each other. These ideas will be
further discussed by the Joint OLA/OEMA Committee.
oNew promotional
displays for OEMA were unveiled.
These displays will be used at various conferences and events to inform
people about OEMA and the importance of school libraries.
oPresident Jim
Tindall will survey members at the OEMA region conferences about their opinions
of potentially changing the name of OEMA.
This has been a discussion at many board meetings and was the focus of a
roundtable session at the fall conference.
oBoard members
gave feedback on the nomination and application procedure for a new annual
award for a school library
paraprofessional of the year.
oThe State
Library is making a temporary School Library Liaison position into a permanent
half-time position.
2. OSLIS
for February
----- Patty Sorensen
OSLIS Analysis
and Access Reminder:
The following
lists of school districts and private schools were the high users for EBSCO for
the past quarter from September - December, 2005. Way to go! This analysis is done by taking the
number of sessions per district and dividing it by the number of students in the
district.
Public
Schools
ARLINGTON SCH
DIST 3
COOS BAY SCH DIST
9
DAVID DOUGLAS SCH
DIST 40
PINE EAGLE SCH
DIST 61
PINEHURST SCH
DIST 94
BLACK BUTTE SCH
DIST 41
PHILOMATH SCH
DIST 17J
OAKLAND SCH DIST
1
ALSEA SCH DIST
7J
VERNONIA SCH DIST
47J
DOUGLAS COUNTY
SCH DIST 15 (Dayscreek)
ADEL SCH DIST
21
Private
Schools
ST MARYS
DALLES
LA SALLE
HS
OREGON EPISCOPAL
SCHOOL
JESUIT HIGH
SCHOOL
ST CLARE
SCHOOL
DEPAUL
ALTERNATIVE HS
ST MARYS
MEDFORD
CATLIN GABLE
SCHOOL
VALLEY CATH
MIDDLE HS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ACADEMY
WESTERN MENNONITE
HS
SERENDIPITY
CENTER
ST VINCENT DEPAUL
SCH
Access
Issues?
I am concerned
that all the correct EBSCO stats for the various locations are not being
reported due to access issues. Please recheck to see that your EBSCO access is through
the OSLIS website at
http://www.oslis.org I did some quick spot checking on
various district's websites and have found that there appear to be two
problems:
1- Some districts
were using EBSCO prior to the OSLIS project last year and accessing the product
via an epnet web address. If you
are still accessing that way, your stats are not being gathered correctly and
you are not following the request of the Oregon State Library who funds this
access. Access via an epnet address
should be eliminated. Please double check that your access at school and from
websites is going through the OSLIS website.
Another problem
some of you may be experiencing is accessing a redirect screen. When we transitioned the OSLIS website
from
http://www.oslis.k12.or.us, a few of the pages did not transition
cleanly and so users are having to wait for the redirect to occur. If this is an issue for you, you can
simply replace the OSLIS link from
http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/elementary/howto..... To
http://www.oslis.org/elementary/howto..... The redirect will not impact any
EBSCO access or stats, but will be appreciated by your users as a time
saver.
REMINDER:
Don't publish the usernames and passwords online unless it is a password
protected intranet within your district!
To do so breaks vendor contracts.
3. Read
Across America Links ----- Gregory Lum
Start planning
ahead for Read Across America Day.
Here are some great links to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday on March
2.
<http://www.nea.org/readacross/>NEA's Read Across
America
<http://sln.fi.edu/fellows/fellow7/mar99/probability/seuss_book_quiz.shtml>Dr. Seuss Book Quiz with
wired@school
<http://www.gamequarium.com/seuss.html>Dr. Seuss
Games
<http://atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Dr__Seuss/>A to Z Teacher
Stuff
<http://www.kidskonnect.com/DrSeuss/DrSeussHome.html>KidsKonnect
<http://www.kinderthemes.com/DrSeuss.html>KinderThemes
<http://www.carolhurst.com/authors/drseuss.html>Carol Hurst's Children's Literature
Site
<http://www.primate.wisc.edu/people/hamel/seuss.html>An Index to Dr. Seuss: Characters and
Unusual Creatures
<http://www.kidsreads.com/features/010221-seuss/seuss-bio.asp>KidsReads
<http://www.teachingheart.net/thedrsuesspage.html>Learning with Dr.
Seuss
<http://www.seussville.com/seussentennial/>Seussville
<http://www.surfnetkids.com/seuss.htm>Surfing the Net with
Kids
Free Cat Hat
Posters
Saturn retailers,
United Auto Workers, and Random House are offering free "Cat Hat" posters for
NEA's Read Across America 2006. With a few scissor snips and some tape, the flat
poster becomes a three-dimensional red and white stovepipe hat-ala Dr. Seuss's
Cat in the Hat! Visit any
<http://www.nea.org/readacross/resources/index.html#saturn>Saturn/UAW
retailer starting February 15, 2006, to get your posters while supplies last.
Thirty posters per educator will be distributed on a first come, first serve
basis.
4.
Region 2 and 3 Conference ----- Carol Dinges
. Mark your
calendars for the Regions 2 & 3 Winter Conference on February 25 at Sprague
High School. Information is
available from Carol Dinges at
<mailto:carol_dinges@lebanon.k12.or.us>carol_dinges@lebanon.k12.or.us or
on the OEMA website at
<http://www.oema.net/conferences/Conferences.htm>http://www.oema.net/conferences/Conferences.htm See you there!
5.
Region 6 Conference ----- Jan Nichols
Region 6 Spring
Conference will be held at Hermiston High School on Saturday, April 22. Registration begins at 8:30 with
sessions starting at 9:00 A.M. The registration fee is $10.00, which
includes the conference sessions, a continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon
treats. Please contact Jan Nichols.
Her email address is
NicholsJ@hermiston.k12.or.us
6.
Seeking YA Book Favorites ----- Gregory
Lum
Have you read an
outstanding young adult title lately?
As a member of the 2007 Best Books for Young Adults Selection Committee,
Gregory Lum is seeking nominations for excellent books that have been published
between September 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. Use the link below to submit a
nomination:
<http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/nominatetitle.htm>http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/nominatetitle.htm
7. Book Challenges - where have they
happened?
----- The
Board
Mary Kay Dahlgren
from the Oregon Informational Clearinghouse and Deb Wheelbarger the OEMA
Intellectual Freedom chair need to know.
Is it because the
challenges come through libraries without trained library staff. Who is in charge of making sure book
challenges follow the correct process?
Are they just disappearing without a fair hearing? If there has been a challenge in your
district regardless of the outcome, these folks need to
know.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FROM THE
STATE
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1. LSTA
grant proposals
----- Mary Kay Dahlgren
The application
packet for FY2007 LSTA grant proposals is available on the web at:
http://oregon.gov/OSL/LD/grantmainalt.shtml. We will not be mailing out the
grant application packets. If you have any difficulty downloading or printing
the packet please contact Ann Reed at 503-378-5027 or Val Vogt at 503-378-2525
and they can mail you a copy of the application materials.
The following
guidance applies to school library applicants:
School Library
Applicants:
Proposals
submitted by school library media centers should be developed
in
accordance with
the Oregon LSTA Five-Year State Plan.
Project
characteristics viewed favorably by the LSTA Advisory
Council:
Projects
involving partnerships with public, academic, outside agencies, or other school
districts.
Projects managed
by certified school library media specialists.
High profile
grant projects undertaken in collaboration with OEMA.
Automation
projects to join regional resource sharing networks.
Project
characteristics NOT viewed favorably by the LSTA Advisory
Council:
Projects limited
to a single school or school district that do not involve
a
partnership with
another library or agency.
Projects that
replace lost local funding for books and computers.
Projects that
replace local funding for staff.
Automation
projects limited to single schools or school districts.
The LSTA
competitive grant program uses a two-step grant process. Short
proposals are due
April 14, 2006. The LSTA Advisory
Council will invite
some applicants
to develop the proposal further in a grant application
that
will be due
August 11, 2006. Ideas need to
support the Oregon Library
Services and
Technology Act Five-Year State Plan 2003-2008, available
at
http://oregon.gov/OSL/LD/LSTA/5yrStatePlan03-08.pdf. If you have
questions
please contact
Ann Reed at (503) 378-5027.
2.
Pacific Northwest Children's Book Conference ----- Ruth Murray
Another great
summer class- And you can receive 3 hours credit for all this fun! Contact Ruth
(murrayr@pdx.edu) if you have questions.
The 7th Annual
Pacific Northwest Children's Book Conference for writers
and illustrators
will be at Reed College in Portland, July 10-14. Steve
Geck, executive
editor of Greenwillow Books in New York, will be joining
Linda Zuckerman,
director of the conference, and other talented and
inspiring
instructors, for another unforgettable week.
7th Annual
Pacific Northwest Children's Book Conference for writers and
illustrators
Reed College,
July 10-14, 2006
Linda Zuckerman,
director
Steve Geck,
executive editor, Greenwillow Books
Susan
Blackaby
Marla
Frazee
David
Gifaldi
Susan Goldman
Rubin
Kirby
Larson
Nancy
Osa
Ann Whitford
Paul
Elsa
Warnick
* small group
critique sessions with faculty
* morning
lectures, afternoon workshops for writers and illustrators
* picture
books, nonfiction, middle-grade novel, young adult
* writing for
the educational market
* information
on publishing, contracts and finding an agent
* individual
manuscript critiques and portfolio reviews
* university
credit available through Portland State University
*
registration begins March 15, 2006
3. Read
Captions Across America materials ----- Charleen
Hoiland
On March 2, the
Captioned Media Program (CMP) is launching a nationwide Read Captions Across
AmericaĆ event as a part of the National Education Association's (NEA) "Read
Across America." Read Captions
Across AmericaĆ is the first national reading event that puts emphasis on the
importance of captioned media as a reading tool for children with or without a
hearing loss. The CMP shares
the NEA's interest in increasing literacy through motivating children to read,
and we are making "Read Across America" even better by promoting the use of
captioned media to those who are deaf and hard of hearing.
The CMP has
developed flyers/posters:
<http://www.cfv.org/flyers/nadf126.pdf),>http://www.cfv.org/flyers/nadf126.pdf),
bookmarks (
<http://www.cfv.org/update/RAA_Bookmark.jpg)>http://www.cfv.org/update/RAA_Bookmark.jpg)
and a logo
(<http://www.cfv.org/update/RAA_logo.gif>http://www.cfv.org/update/RAA_logo.gif
) to go with this promotion.
Anyone who is
serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in their schools may want to add this
new event to their Read Across America celebration. For additional information or support,
contact Charleen Hoiland, Library Media Specialist at the Oregon School for the
Deaf, 503-378-8481 (V/TTY), charleen.hoiland@osd.k12.or.us or check out the
Captioned Media Program at
www.captionedmedia.org
4, AASL award for
OSLIS
At the midwinter meeting of AASL,
OEMA, the Oregon State Library, and the iSchool at the University of Washington
received a formal commendation for their work in establishing and maintain the
Oregon School Library Information System.
In the recognition letter, Diane Chen, Chair of the 2005-2006 AASL
Affiliate Assembly stated:
" The mission of AASL is to
advocate excellence, facilitate change, and develop leaders in the school
library media field. AASL works to
ensure that all members of the school library media field collaborate to connect
learners with ideas and information and to prepare students for life-long
learning, informed decision-making, a love of reading, and the use of
information technologies. Please
let us acknowledge and congratulate you for bringing teachers and school
librarians a step closer in the shared responsibility to help all children
learn."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
FROM ALA, AASL
and BEYOND
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
1. Looking for
an Online Certification program??
<http://www.eduscapes.com/blueribbon/>http://www.eduscapes.com/blueribbon/
As of Fall 2006, the Indiana University
School of Library and Information Science - Indianapolis will launch an online
set of courses that will meet certification requirements for school media
specialists in any of the fifty states. Online courses are based on NCATE and
ALA accredited curriculum, are graduate level, and are delivered from a school
library media education program ranked among the best in the nation (US News and
World Report).
Applicants who
will qualify to enter the online track must hold a valid, current teaching
license and demonstrate abilities in team-teaching and instructional
collaboration, knowledge in application of technology to instruction, and use of
multiple resources for teaching and learning. Online courses will build on these
entry skills to establish the school media specialist as a teacher in inquiry
learning environments, including school library media
programs.
The target
audience includes teachers outside of Indiana who seek school media
certification within their own state.
IU will work with those teachers to provide specific courses to meet
local certification requirements, including independent study courses and
internships. Selected courses
from other accredited graduate library science programs will transfer into this
Blue Ribbon online program. Selected courses from this Blue Ribbon program may
be accepted into local accredited school media certification programs across
North America. Therefore, admitted students have the option to complete the full
certification with IU or complete courses between those online and those
available locally.
Teachers in
Indiana who enter the Blue Ribbon Online track have the options to complete
courses face to face, over interactive television across Indiana (Indianapolis,
Bloomington, New Albany, South Bend, Fort Wayne, Gary) or
online.
Partial fee
remission is possible for those students who present exemplary academic and
professional service credentials.
Use the link
above for details on the Blue Ribbon Certification Program and links to the
application process.
Examples of
course content of current online courses can be found at
<http://www.eduscapes.com/iupui/>http://www.eduscapes.com/iupui/
For more
information, contact Danny Callison, Director of School Library Media Education,
<mailto:callison@iupui.edu>callison@iupui.edu
Further information concerning programs
in graduate library and information science education can be found
at
<http://www.slis.iupui.edu/>http://www.slis.iupui.edu
<http://www.slis.indiana.edu/>http://www.slis.indiana.edu
2. Patriot Act
Update
On Wednesday,
February 1, the House passed a five-week extension of the16 expiring PATRIOT Act
provisions. The Senate is expected to approve
the extension
today or tomorrow. The new reauthorization deadline will be Friday, March 10.
According to an Associated Press story, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) has been
negotiating with the White House for changes he believes are needed. Meanwhile,
Bush administration supporters have a new TV ad that was shown during the Fox
program, 24, which paints the senators working for civil liberties protections
as weakening the PATRIOT Act. Watch the 32-second ad here:
<http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/01/pro_patriot_act.html
>
What you can do:
Thank you to everyone who participated in National PATRIOT Act Call-in Day. The
next few weeks are critical, so we urge you to continue calling and writing your
congressional representatives, joining others in in-district meetings with
legislators, and educating and reaching out to people in your communities. Find
contact numbers and suggested talking points here on ALA's legislative action
center at:
<http://capwiz.com/ala/home/
<http://capwiz.com/ala/home/>
>
3. President
Bush's FY 2007 Budget Request
On February 6,
President Bush released a $2.7 trillion fiscal year 2007 budget request that
eliminates 141 programs.
Despite the
extremely tight fiscal environment where many programs are experiencing cuts in
funding, the President requested $262,240,000 for the Institute of Museum and
Library Services, an increase of $15,096,000 over FY06. For the Library Services
and Technology Act, the budget includes $220,855,000, an increase of $10,258,000
from FY 06. Within that total is $171,500,000 for Grants to State Library
Agencies, which will enable the implementation of the new grant formula. Also
included are $25,000,000 for Librarians for the 21st Century program,
$12,930,000 for National Leadership Grants for Libraries, and $3,675,000 for
Improving Library Service to Native Americans.
For school
libraries, the President requested level funding for the Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries Program.
The budget also
includes a request for $30,000,000 to revitalize the consistently under-funded
Washington, D.C. public library system.
Given the budget
difficulties, members are urged to contact the White House to thank the
Administration for its continued support and commitment to our nation's
libraries. You may call the White
House at 202-456-1111. Or e-mail at
comments@whitehouse.gov.
For more
information, please visit ALA's website at:
http://www.ala.org/washoff.
4. ALA
Resolution on the Instructional Classification of School
Librarians
In response to
the fact that the current classification language would have serious
consequences if the 65% movement gains momentum, ALA has formulated the
following resolution. This is
available to state and local groups who are needing to address the 65%
challenge:
Whereas, School
libraries are classrooms in which students and teachers learn - where they read,
utilize print, nonprint, and technology resources, and learn to use information
for projects and reports efficiently, effectively, and ethically, with the goal
of developing lifelong learning and literacy skills and strategies;
and
Whereas, Multiple
research studies, more than 60 since 1965, have affirmed that there is a clear
link between school library media programs staffed by state-certified school
librarians and increased student achievement (Library Research Services Web site
at http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp); <http://www.lrs.org/impact.asp);> and
Whereas, School
librarians are recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS) as teachers whose teaching can be measured to meet standards
for professional teaching excellence; and
Whereas, School
librarians are teachers who serve as critical partners in ensuring that states
and school districts meet the reading requirements that are part of No Child
Left Behind (P.L. 107-110); and
Whereas, In Part
B, Subpart 1, Section 1208 of No Child Left Behind (P.L. 107-110), Instructional
Staff is defined as "principals, teachers, supervisors of instruction,
librarians, and school library media specialists"; and
Whereas, Despite
the vital role school librarians play as teachers and collaborators with
classroom teachers, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
classifies school librarians as instructional support staff rather than
instructional staff; and
Whereas, No Child
Left Behind and NCES conflict in their classification of school librarians;
and
Whereas,
Educational researchers stress that policymakers should recognize the
limitations and negative effects of using only the NCES-defined category of
"Instruction Expenditures" without including "Instructional Staff Support
Services" for determining classroom instruction expenditures (See the Standard
and Poor's report in School Matters entitled "The Issues and Implications of the
'65 Percent Solution'"
http://www.schoolmatters.com/pdf/65_paper_schoolmatters.pdf);
<http://www.schoolmatters.com/pdf/65_paper_schoolmatters.pdf);> and
Whereas, Since
1985, there has been a decrease in library expenditures per student (See Fifty
Years of Supporting Children's Learning: A History of Public School Libraries
and Federal Legislation from 1953 to 2000 at
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005311.pdf
<http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005311.pdf> ), resulting in fewer up-to-date,
quality resources at a time when students are being encouraged to read more, not
less; and
Whereas, Failure
to classify school librarians as instructional staff and to recognize the impact
of state-certified school librarians on student achievement, especially in
reading, may result in a critical loss of funding for library positions and
resources and a dangerous deterioration of library services for our nation's
children; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That
the Council of the American Library Association direct the American Library
Association School Libraries Task Force and the ALA Executive Director to
communicate through a letter to the Governors of every state the critical need
for them to demonstrate their commitment to quality education of every child by
rejecting publicly any policy that would dismantle school libraries and the
staffing of those libraries by state-certified school library media specialists,
and be it further
Resolved, That
the Council of the American Library Association direct the American Library
Association School Libraries Task Force and the ALA Executive Director to
communicate through a letter to all legislators of every state considering the
"65 Percent Solution" legislation the vital importance of including
"Instructional Staff Support Services" with "Instruction Expenditures" in
determining the percentage spent on "classroom instruction," and be it
further
Resolved, That
the Council of the American Library Association communicate through a letter
from the ALA President the important relationship between staff classifications
and funding as related to school libraries to: President George W. Bush; all
members of the United States Congress; U. S. Secretary of Education Margaret
Spellings; National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Commissioner Mark
Schneider; NCES Education Finance Task Force Chair Linda Champion; and all chief
officers of state education agencies and state library agencies, and, be it
further
Resolved, That
the Council of the American Library Association direct the Committee on
Legislation to work with the ALA Washington Office to request that the National
Center for Education Statistics issue an interpretation that recognizes the
teaching role of school librarians and includes librarian salaries and library
resources as essential additional components to "Instruction Expenditures," and
for the Committee on Legislation and the ALA Washington Office to educate the
federal Department of Education and the United States Congress about the
importance of classifying school librarians as instructional staff and the
danger of any proposal that would dramatically cut resources to our nation's
school libraries.
Respectfully
submitted,
Councilors Sharon
Coatney, Carolyn Giambra, M. Ellen Jay, Erlene Bishop Killeen, Toni Negro,
Sylvia Norton, Barbara Stripling, Nancy Zimmerman
Endorsed by: ALA School Libraries Task
Force