Electronic Newsletter of The Oregon Educational Media Association

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Volume 19 No.5                                            January, 2007

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CONTENTS:

FROM THE PRESIDENT

the "official" letter ----- Allan Kopf

 

FROM THE MEMBERSHIP

1. Ballot Preview ---- Jim Tindall
2. Connie Hull Mini-grant winners announced --- Jim Tindall
3. For Libraries Seeking Biological Connections --- Jim Tindall
4. Region 2&3 Conference --- Carol Dinges
5. Interchange submissions --- Stephanie Thomas
6. New job --- Jean Townes
7. George Fox offerings --- Karen Wedeking
8. Libraries - the next phase? --- Karen Wedeking
9. Fall Conference 2007 News --- Janet Setness

 

WHAT'S NEW! WHAT'S GOOD! WHAT'S FUN!

1. Great(?) beginnings --- Edith Fuller et al
2. "High Priori-tea" --- Jan Nichols

FROM OREGON AND BEYOND

1. Civil Rights Site --- Patty Sorensen
2. New Resource Available at the State Library --- Patty Sorensen
3. Talking Books are for readers of all ages --- Patty Sorensen
4. OLA Legislative day is Wednesday, February 7, 2007

 

 

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FROM THE PRESIDENT --- Allen Kopf

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 Happy New Year!!!

Who would have ever thought that we would make it to 2007?  Remember the dire predictions of Y2K?  Six years have past since then, and while there have been a number of catastrophic events, we have not had an electronic meltdown.  Maybe we worry about the wrong things. January, the first month of 2007, is here teeming with exciting holidays such as National Pie Day (January 23), National Compliment Day (January 24) and National Fun Day at Work (January 26).  Try celebrating one of these festive days at work and watch the students and your co-workers scratch their heads in pure wonderment.

The New Year is usually a time to reminisce.Ê Here are a few of the things for which I am thankful:

The New Year is also a time to make those resolutions.Ê I recently read that 22% of all Americans make New Year resolutions, but only 8% of those who make resolutions are successful in carrying them out.Ê I guess I can understand the high failure rate since my usual resolve is to lose weight by giving up sweets.Ê Who can live without special dark chocolate?Ê How do statisticians come up with those figures?Ê No one has asked me lately what resolutions I have made nor with how many I have been successful.Ê No one probably knows that in Y2K I made a resolution to give up broccoli soup and I can say truthfully that not a spoonful has crossed my lips in the last six years.

My resolution for the New Year is to submit my articles for this newsletter on time every month during 2007.Ê I think I will sit down at my computer right now and begin the article for February.Ê Yeah, sure!

Best wishes to you for a successful 2007.
Allen

 

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FROM THE MEMBERSHIP

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1. BALLOT PREVIEW ----- Jim Tindall

Read the following in preparation for February's election on bylaws changes, including a proposed organizational name change, and on the election of officers. Please look for your e-ballot in February; exercise your right of membership and vote.

BYLAWS REVISION
The full text of OEMA's Bylaws revision is located at the following link (note that the proposed name change of the organization appears in Article One.) You will be voting whether or not to change the name of our organization to the Oregon Association of School Libraries.
http://www.oema.net/board/bylaws.html

CANDIDATES
The following positions are up for election this year. The candidates were asked to submit biographies of approximately 100 words in length, and the text that follows is from the candidate unedited.

2. Connie Hull Mini-grant winners announced ----- Jim Tindall

The selection committee for the Connie Hull Mini-grant programÊ met Saturday 9 December and have announced the three winners of the $150.00 literacy grants.

Michelle Wardrip of Salem Keizer's Auburn Elementary School will receive funds for the purchase of a buzzer system to complement her work in Battle of the Book contests.
Erin Fitzpatrick-Bjorn of Gresham Barlow will use the prize to aid in the purchase of multiple copies of Andrew Clements' Things Not Seen to implement a One School One Book program at West Orient Middle School.
The third winnerÊis Lisa Krebs from Grants Pass. She will use her money to buy prizes and to pay for printing costs for a short story contest she is organizing at Grants Pass High School with a group she advises, the Literary Book Club.

Congratulations to these folks,Êand thank you to all applicants who helped make this Connie Hull Mini-grant program an exciting one to administer. These three winners will be presenting a session at the fall conference, sharing their secrets of grant writing success and their enthusiasm for literacy and school librarianship.

3. For Libraries Seeking Biological Connections ----- Jim Tindall

In December I had a chance to tour the new facilities of Mountain Home Biological in Bingen, Washington.
They are a supply house for live critters and owl pellets and a whole lot more. They are also eager to provide tours of their site for field trips. For a catalog or for learning more contact:
Rick Bretz 1-800-958-9629Ê
e-mail rickb@pelletlab.comÊ or visit http://www.pelletlab.com/

4.  Region 2 & 3 Conference ----- Carol Dinges

Registration information will be sent to schools in January, and information will be available at the OEMA website, as well.Ê Also include that the featured speaker will be author Deborah Hopkinson - www.deborahhopkinson.com - who's won all kinds of awards for her children's and young adult books.

5.  Interchange submissions ----- Stephanie Thomas

Greetings Colleagues and Friends,
It's that time already-- to begin thinking about the Spring Issue of Interchange!Ê
I will be serving as guest editor and am looking forward to submissions!Ê The Spring Issue's theme will be: Intellectual Freedom for All: Tools and Resources to Stay Informed.
The deadline for contributions (submitted to me) is March 16, 2006.
Please email me with questions and/or format guidelines for submission : stephanie_thomas@parkrose.k12.or.us

6.  New job ----- Jean Townes

I've gotten a small consulting job working with Central Linn School District libraries and library aides to improve the collections and services.Ê Lots of support from the superintendent who created the position and really understands library issues--what a treat!

7.  George Fox offerings ----- Karen Wedeking

For the semester beginning January 8 - April 27, 2007 at George Fox University :

EDFL 554 Core Collection Development
3 semester hours.Ê This course introduces the Library Media specialist to Information Access and Delivery, including the development of information resources, learning characteristics of students and staff, and methods for matching student needs with appropriate materials. The course will also emphasize reference and information sources and services in the school media center.
Offered spring semester Format: Combination of two Saturday sessions at Portland Campus and Online.
January 13 and April 14 9:00-4:00

EDFL562 Multi Media Design and Production
2 semester hours.Ê This course will give the examination and practice of effective design concepts for content delivery. Design and production of lessons and student projects keyed to national standards will use various multimedia software programs.
Offered spring semester Format: Combination of two Saturday sessions at the Portland Center
January 20 and April 21Ê 9:00-3:00

Online registration is available @ http:edfl.georgefox.edu
Further information is available from:
Karen Wedeking
Coordinator of the library media endorsement program
George Fox University
kwedekin@georgefox.edu
503-554-2858

8.  Libraries - the next phase? ----- Karen Wedeking

New York Times - January 2, 2007
Lock the Library! Rowdy Students Are Taking Over by TINA KELLEY
The article is too long for this newsletter but you can read it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/nyregion/02library.html?ei=5070&en=954c51bc14b566e8&ex=1168405200&emc=eta1&pagewanted=print

9.  Fall Conference 2007 News ----- Janet Setness


TEAM OEMA CONFERENCE 2007

JanetSetness -- jsetness@comcast.net -- ConferenceChair
Margo Jensen -- jensen_margo@salkeiz.k12.or.us -- Secretary
Jeri Petzel -- jpetzel@canby.com --Ê Treasurer
Kathy Jensen -- jensenka17@yahoo.com -- Hospitality
JoAnn Klassen -- oemamembership@comcast.net -- Registration
Doug Hoffman -- doug_hoffman@lincoln.k12.or.us -- Exhibits
Lisa Hardey -- hardey.lisa@salkeiz.k12.or.us -- Publicity
Linda Campillo -- lcampillo@pps.k12.or.us -- Authors
Stephen Cox -- cox_stephen_j@salkeiz.k12.or.us -- Equipment
Grace Butler -- grace_butler@beavton.k12.or.us -- Saturday Program
Robin Rolfe -- rrolfe@pps.k12.or.us -- Friday sessions
Annette Schmidt -- aschmidt1@ttsd.k12.or.us -- Book Sales

If anyone has any ideas, comments, or concerns for the Fall Conference, please feel free to contact us.Ê
Our first meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 13 at this moment, so anything you might have that would help at this first get-together would be appreciated.Ê
I want to publicly thank everyone who has agreed to step into one of these positions and also hope that if they call on you for a little help, you will do what you can.Ê We all have the list of other folk from 2006 Fall Conference who said they would be willing to help, and so you may still be called on for help by one of the chairs, if you offered help.Ê I tried to get folks from a similar geographical area to make planning meetings easier for everyone to attend.
More news to come. --Janet Setness

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WHAT'S NEW!   WHAT'S GOOD!   WHAT'S FUN!

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1. Great(?) beginnings ----- Edith Fuller et al

Here are some of the favorite first lines from OEMA members.Ê
Once we get done analyzing each other for our choices, Edith suggests that they make interesting bulletin board prompts.

-- Erin Fitzpatrick-Bjorn -"When I was nine years old I hid under a table and heard my sister kill a king." (Quest for a Maid by Frances Mary Hendry)
-- Jim Tindall - "I was born of a mother who was born of a mother who was born of a mother. How could life, how could humanity be so monotonous and yet so perplexing?" (a first line from a book he would like to write if he could only think of the next line)
-- Becky Hickox - "It was a dark and stormy night."Ê (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle)
-- Catherine Carroll - "Gramps says that I am a country girl at heart, and that is true.Ê I have lived most of my thirteen years in Bybanks, Kentucky, which is not much more than a caboodle of houses roosting in a green spot alongside the Ohio River." (Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech)

-- For more ideas Patty Sorensen sends these websites:
First Lines
http://people.cornell.edu/pages/jad22/
I really like the answer portion of this one.

http://www.litline.org/ABR/100bestfirstlines.html
is another one but it gives the answers right there, no chance to ponder it.

This one is like the first one but focused on Kid Lit.
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/firstlinesindex.html

And the last one is actually a site for Famous Quotes that might be useful too:
http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/thearticles/firstlines

 

2. "High Priori-tea" ----- Jan Nichols

Our FCCLA/Bulldog Catering, in conjunction with the Lit Department's "Victorian Novelists" series, is researching "High Tea".Ê Combining the history of the British East India Company, novelists, and ceremonial customs of countries has been enormously exciting for the kids, awakened some of those "a-ha moments" for Lit students, and made all researchers very, very hungry.Ê The results will be sampled mid-January for the Lit group and again in April, when Region 6 OEMA meets at Hermiston High School.

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FROM OREGON AND BEYOND

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1. Civil Rights Site ----- Patty Sorensen

Civil Rights Site in the American Memory Collection on The Library of Congress Website
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_civilrights.php
Don't miss this wealth of resources for Black History Month in February. It contains a wealth of information, photos, timelines, lessons, printable posters, sound recordings, etc.

2. New Resource Available at the State Library ----- Patty Sorensen

The following new title is available to interlibrary loan from the Oregon State Library.
If you would like to request this or other materials from the Oregon State Library please fax your request to the State Library document delivery department at 503-588-7119 with complete request information including your name, school, address, phone, and the item number from the State Library.

Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan.
Build Your Own Information Literate School.
Salt Lake City, UT: Hi Willow Research and Publishing, 2003.
ISBN: 0-931510-89-9

This is a must have for all library teachers who are working with staff on research projects and ties in so well with the OSLIS resources available for such projects. I'm very impressed with the number and quality of the templates and rubrics. I especially like the Research Reflections and Assessing My Effort Student Templates. Jeri Petzel from Wilsonville recommended this book at her session at the OEMA Fall Conference. Check it out now! The book has in-depth sections on Define and Clarify the Research Process; Locate and Retrieve; Select, Process, and Record Data; Analyze; Synthesize; Share and Use; Reflect, Transfer and Apply, and Adding It all Up.

3. Talking Books are for readers of all ages ----- Patty Sorensen

Free library service loans audio-books to those with visual or physical impairments

Talking Book and Braille Services (TBABS) at the Oregon State Library offers blind and physically handicapped readers an alternative way to enjoy reading. A "talking book" is a professionally recorded book on cassette for use on special players. Cassettes and players are provided by the library at no charge to eligible borrowers.
In addition to 60,000 available titles on cassettes, TBABS offers Unabridged, a service enabling patrons to check out and download audio books from the Internet to their computers. The books can be played on a PC, transferred to a portable playback device, or saved on CDs.
New book titles are being added every month.

Individuals of any age whose low vision, blindness, or physical handicap makes reading a standard, printed page difficult are eligible. Specific information on who qualifies and how to enroll in the free program can be found at www.tbabs.org or by calling toll-free 800-452-0292.
Be sure to pass this information along to eligible folks in your school communities!

A list of some of the school-age resources for
Talking Books and Braille can be found at:
http://www.loc.gov/nls/children/index.html

4. OLA Legislative day ----- Diedre Conkling

OLA Legislative day is Wednesday, February 7, 2007.
They will be contacting Legislators and setting up visits with various representatives all day. If you would like to join them contact Diedre at diedrec@charter.net.
Look for more information from Jim Tindall on OEMA's plans to participate.


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Linda Ague
Librarian
Cal Young Middle School
541 687-3234__________
OEMA mailing list
OEMA@bigfoot.saw.net
http://bigfoot.saw.net/mailman/listinfo/oema