OEMA Newsletter November 2005

OEMA Newsletter

An Electronic Newsletter
of The Oregon Educational Media Association
Volume 18 No. 3
November, 2005

* FROM THE PRESIDENT - Jim Tindall The "official" letter A reminder from the Prez	* FROM AROUND THE STATE Oregon Book Award Finalists Who Can We Recognize
* FROM THE MEMBERSHIP Connie Hull Mini-Grants Congratulations Gregory Lum The Superhero Among Us OSLIS Tips Search for new Board members George Fox Update Professional Books available	* FROM ALA, AASL and BEYOND AASL Handouts

FROM THE PRESIDENT - Jim Tindall

1. ***** the "official" letter***** Jim Tindall

On Tuesday October 25th, I was able to participate in an OLA Legislation Committee meeting, chaired by Janet Webster - janet.webster@orgeonstate.edu
The meeting raised anxieties for me that I'd like to share with membership.

OEMA is committed to the idea of improving our abilities in the area of legislative lobbying. We do not have the budget necessary to hire a lobbyist. And, those of us who pay joint dues with OLA pay a fraction of the per capita fees that retains a lobbyist for them. So, the burden of the efforts fall upon the shoulders of membership to ably get the message out to elected officials that school libraries deserve more in funding to increase staffing, expand print resources, and increase access to digital information.

Some questions to ponder as each of us wonders on how the next legislative session will treat K-12 education:

If a bill comes forward that is detrimental to the health of school libraries, will you have energy to lobby in the defense of your facility?
Would you exercise your right to communicate with elected officials or would the busy-ness of your work dissuade you?
If someone from OEMA's leadership asked you to invite your state represntative to tour your school library, would that request lead to your contact with the office of the politician? And, might that contact lead to a school visit?
And would that visit create a more library-friendly official?

In the coming months, please take some moment to reflect upon your role as lobbyist for school libraries. You can always practice your lobbying skills on your principal and colleagues!

2. ***** a reminder from the Prez***** Jim Tindall

Just in case you missed it on the listserv...... http://www.k12library.info/
The above URL is the address for the Washington K-12 Initiative.
This past week I meet with Martha Shinners of the Washington State Library, Nancy Graf of WLMA, and Sue Sherif of the Alaska State Library. The goal is to expand this training initiative to the states of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. The board voted in May to support this expansion in a grant proposal that will be submitted by the Oregon State Library for Oregon's involvement. Please take a look at the site at some point in the next few months. Mary Kay Dahlgreen may be calling on you to write letters of support as part of the grant package, which will be due in February 2006.

FROM THE MEMBERSHIP

1. ***Connie Hull Mini-Grants *** - Martha Decherd

Do you have a great literacy idea that just needs a little infusion of cash to get it going? If so, NOW is the time to apply for one of five $200 Connie Hull Mini-Grant. You can find all the pertinent details at http://oema.net/scholarships/scholarships.html. Send your application to:
Martha Decherd at David Douglas High School
1001 SE 135th Ave.
Portland,
OR 97233.
They must be postmarked by Nov. 10.

2. *****Congratulations to Gregory Lum******
Congratulations to Gregory Lum who was asked by ALA to serve on YALSA's 2007 Best Book for Young Adults Selection Committee. He is anxious to hear from anyone who has done this previously

3. ***The Superhero Among Us*** - Garnetta Wilker

At the National Middle School Association's Annual Conference in Philadelphia on November 3-5, 2005, Jan Burgess and Garnetta Wilker presented a concurrent session, "The Superhero Among Us." The session was designed to inform administrators about the essential value of the librarian as part of their teaching staff and to let them know why they absolutely, positively need to have a librarian on their staff. Jan and Garnetta also presented a related session on school leadership that included the importance of making sure that school librarians are part of the leadership team. For more information about the conference and the National Middle School Association, go to http://www.nmsa.org Jan Burgess holds librarians in high esteem and is responsible for the title of the session. Garnetta wore a cape to set the appropriate tone and to try to live up to Jan's expectations.

4. ***OSLIS Tips*** - Patty Sorenson

Hopefully everyone is successfully using their new Usernames and Passwords with OSLIS remotely. If not, please email Val Vogt at val.t.vogt@state.or.us
There's a great trick to keep from having to log back in if you are in an elementary DB and want to try one in the secondary DB list or vice versa. You can actually access it within the EBSCO product you are already in.
If I'm in Student Research Center and realize that I need to get to Kid Search, rather than going to the elementary OSLIS page and having to click on Kid Search in the Resources section, I simply stay within Kid Search and select "SEARCH OTHER DATABASES". That will link me to a screen which lists all the choices available in EBSCO. I can then choose All Databases if I am looking for a specialized academic health article. I can then select the HealthSource: Nursing/Academic Edition from the listed choices and will not be asked to log back in. Great time saver!
Students should NOT be using the All Databases selection unless they are looking for specialized databases. The Student Research Center contains the Middle School and High School databases which EBSCO has determined are the most successful ones for student related searching. These are Middle Search Plus, Newspaper Source, MAS Ultra - School Edition, the Vocational and Career Collection, the Columbia Encyclopedia, TOPICsearch, and Health Source - Consumer Edition. The new interfaces in both Student Research Center and Kid Search are incredible tools to help simplify a student's research process. The databases they access are the same ones we are used to in the past with a new look. Enjoy!
This fall's OSLIS trainings with reached 455 educators in 48 sessions throughout the state. Keep passing the word along to others.

5.***Search for new Board members*** - Martha Decherd

Are you looking for an exciting, challenging, interesting group to join? Looking for a way to make a positive contribution to libraries and students in Oregon? Now is your chance to run for a position on the OEMA board. Just email Martha Decherd at martha_decherd@ddouglas.k12.or.us and let her know which position(s) you're interested in: Secretary, Treasurer, High School Rep, Elementary Rep, District Rep, Paraprofessional Rep, Region 2 Rep, Region 4 Rep, Region 6 Rep.

6. ***George Fox Update*** - Karen Weddeking

George Fox is offering the following courses for their spring semester (which begins in January)
EDFL 554 Core Collection Development
3 semester hours 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 14 and April 15 9:00-4:00

EDFL562 Multi Media Design and Production
2 semester hours 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 21 and April 22 9:00-3:00
(Appropriate for media specialists or classroom teachers)

Online registration is available @ [ http:edfl.georgefox.edu ]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

7.***Professional Books available*** - Edith Fuller

Books of interest recently added to the Professional Library, Portland Public Schools. Available for loan to OEMA members. Email Edith Fuller, efuller@pps.k12.or.us.

57 games to play in the library or classroom / Carol K. Lee and Fay Edwards. Alleyside Press, 1997.
A collection of simple games that teach K-6 students how to use a library.

Battle of the books and more : reading activities for middle school students / Sybilla Cook, Frances Corcoran & Beverley Fonnesbeck. Alleyside Press, 2001. 142 p.
An excellent resource for ideas on contests and competitions designed to motivate students to read more and enjoy with an emphasis on "Battle of the Books"

Copyright for schools : a practical guide / Carol Simpson. Linworth Books, 2005. 4th ed. 223 p.
The definitive guide for librarians. Includes copyright implications of various technologies.

Dewey need to get organized : a time management and organization guide for school librarians / J'aime L. Foust. Linworth, 2002.
Takes you through the steps of getting organized in your library.

Helping teachers teach : a school library media specialist's role / Philip M. Turner, Ann Marlow Riedling. Libraries Unlimited, 2003.
A classic title, updated and expanded to includes changes in technology, standards and the new role of the library media specialist as instructional consultant.

Library skills / Pat Miller. Upstart Books, 2003.
The Stretchy Library Lessons series offers ready-made flexible lessons for librarians short on preparation time.

FROM AROUND THE STATE

1. *****OREGON BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED***** Diane Sotak
Literary Arts has announced the finalists for the 2005 Oregon Book Awards. Winners will be announced at the award celebration, hosted by fiction writer Pam Houston, on Friday, Nov. 11 at the Wonder Ballroom. For details visit: <http://www.literary-arts.org/oba.htm>.

2. ***** Who can we recognize?***** Linda Ague
Outstanding teachers are recognized in the weekly email updates from Susan Castillo's office. I'm thinking it's time one of our teacher librarians were included. Do you know of an outstanding teacher librarian you believe should be featured in the Superintendent's Weekly Update? Please make your recommendation by visiting the website and filling out the provided Talent Pool Recommendation Form: [ http://www.ode.state.or.us/groups/teachers/awards/edtalentpool/talentpoolrecommform.rtf ]http://www.ode.state.or.us/groups/teachers/awards/edtalentpool/talentpoolrecommform.rt

FROM ALA, AASL, AND BEYOND

***AASL Handouts*** - Linda Ague

You may not have had the opportunity to attend the AASL conference in Pittsburgh but for a brief time you can access some of the goodies. If you see something really interesting and want to get even more information OEMA members Mary McClintock, Jenny Takeda, Jim Tindall and LInda Ague may be able to provide more details. Visit http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/conferencesandevents/national/attendees/handoutsa/handouts.htm for copies of some great handouts.

***That's all Folks!*** - Linda Ague, editor

If you have information you would like to include in the next newsletter, send it to me before Dec.1. The newsletter is published on the 5th of every month.

OEMA Newsletter -- Editor: Linda Ague

Published monthly on the 5th of the month September through May
To receive the OEMA Newsletter by email, subscribe to the OEMA mailing list using the form at http://www.oema.net/telecommunication/list.html

Send news items for the Newsletter to:
* Email: Linda Ague at ague@4j.lane.edu
* Mail: Linda Ague at Cal Young Middle School, 2555 Gilham Rd, Eugene, OR 97408
* Phone: 541 687-3234