On Monday, May 14, 2012, the following positions will be posted on San Jose CityJobs (open to current and prospective City employees):

·         Librarian I/II – Archivist Librarian, San Jose Public Library

·         Librarian I/II – Cataloging Librarian, San Jose Public Library

·         Librarian I/II – Web Librarian, San Jose Public Library

·         Librarian I/II – San Jose Public Library, Full Time and Part Time

To learn more about these positions and other current vacancies, please go to http://jobs.cityofsj.org/

TO:                  CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/ NETWORK CONTACTS

FROM:           Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist

Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist

RE:                 News From the Capitol

 SENATE BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE HEARS LIBRARY FUNDING ISSUE:  TAKES NO ACTION – LEAVES IT “OPEN” FOR NOW

 This morning CLA and library supporters testified before the Senate Budget Subcommittee Number One on Education Finance at the State Capitol, in an effort to encourage the legislature to support an action to restore $15.2 million in funding for the California Library Services Act, the Public Library Foundation, and the state literacy program.  As you are aware, the Governor’s Budget last year proposed eliminating all $30.4 million in total funding for these three programs.  CLA was able to negotiate a compromise with the legislature and the Governor’s Administration to save half of the funding, or $15.2 million.  This funding, however, fell victim to the so-called “Budget Trigger,” a mechanism which was enacted by the legislature and the Governor to make further Budget cuts, should $4 billion in General Fund dollars not materialize later in the year.  As of this writing, the State Budget contains zero dollars for the CLSA, PLF, and the literacy programs.  But CLA is endeavoring to push for a restoration of $15.2 million to save these valuable programs and approximately $17 million in corresponding federal funding.

At today’s hearing, there was extensive discussion between the Chair, Senator Carol Liu and the Department of Finance, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and the State Librarian, Stacey Aldrich about the complicated formula required (a “match” and a “maintenance of effort”) by the federal government, to make California eligible for any federal library funding.  Today Mike Dillon, on behalf of CLA, asked the subcommittee members to rely less on the precise lesser figures that could be cobbled together to bring California a small amount of federal funding, and rather stressed that the $15.2 million restoration is essential in order to preserve the programs and the larger federal share.

Chairwoman Liu asked the Legislative Analyst’s Office to bring her an analysis of what percent of the library budget is the overall percentage of the State Budget, and “why such major cuts?”  The LAO noted that the legislature faces an “overall limitation on where you can cut and then there are also federal constraints.  Options are limited.  We are happy to do a chart for you to indicate where most of the cuts to programs have fallen.”

During the general discussion about the value of libraries, Subcommittee member, Senator Rod Wright noted that many of his constituents in his South Central Los Angeles district don’t have computers and they rely on the library to provide this service.  He also stressed that the library has increasingly become a “safe haven” for students to use as a de-facto “after school center, where they can do their homework and where parents will pick them up after work.”   State Librarian Aldrich concurred that the library is really the hub of a community, and “there is no place like them, where someone is always available to help you find a book, find job information, etc.”

Additional testimony in support of the $15.2 million restoration of funds came from CLA Legislative Chair, Jane Light (recently retired as the San Jose Library Director); Laura Seaholm, the Program Manager for Project Second Chance and a member of the CLA Legislative Committee;  Tracy Azvedo, an adult learner who shared a compelling personal story;  Stephanie Doran, his literacy tutor; and several members representing the blind community who are particularly concerned with the potential elimination of the Braille and Talking Books program if the federal funds are eliminated.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Senator Liu thanked everyone for coming to testify and said that the subcommittee would be keeping the item “open in order to wait for the May Revise.  We will walk this path together and we will be very careful.”

The Governor is expected to release his “May Revise” or “May Revision” to the January 2012-13 Budget on or around May 14^th.  This much-anticipated “Revise” will present a more accurate picture of the state’s finances, following April tax receipts, etc.  After the subcommittee has an opportunity to review the “May Revise,” they will then reconvene to close out the “open items” and make recommendations to the full Senate Budget Committee.

Their Assembly Subcommittee counterparts will convene next Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the State Capitol in order to hear the State Library issues.  Please look to CLA Legislative Alerts next week, and the week to follow with instructions on writing the key leaders of the Budget Committees and Leadership, to urge their strong support of the $15.2 million in funding for the three library programs.

Speakers include:
Christie Inocencio –Owner of “Christie’s Creative Cupboard,” Home Schooler and mother of six.
Penny Peck –Librarian for 25 years, part-time Instructor at San José State University, and author of Reader’s Advisory for Children and Tweens (Libraries Unlimited, 2010).
Pete Villasenor –Children’s Librarian from Oakland Public Library, will speak on successful everyday dealings with tweens.
Contact: Sandy Silva, 925-931-3412 or ssilva@cityofpleasantonca.gov
Register online to hold your spot: http://host7.evanced.info/pls/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=475
Price: $15.  Deadline is May 3, 2012.  (And for $15, why not?  What a bargain!).
Checks should be made payable to Pacific Library Partnership.

Surly tweens, coming to a library near you

Job Title:  Casual Librarian

Closing Date/Time:  Friday, May 4, 2012 by 5 p.m.

Hiring interviews:  week of May 7, 2012

Salary: $27.4713- $31.8015 per hour

Sunnyvale Public Library is currently recruiting for librarians who are willing to work primarily evenings and week-ends to cover public service desk hours and occasionally assist with programs and projects, as needed.

Job description:   Provides information, reference, reader’s advisory, and programs for the public.  Casual librarians may be assigned to Adult, Teen, Children’s Services or special projects as needed.

Working Conditions: Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, stooping, and keyboard manipulation in the performance of daily activities.

Education and Experience:  A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an American Library Association accredited program.

Knowledge and Abilities:  Current practices, procedures and technologies used in professional library work; on-line data searching and other automated technologies used to access information; book and non-book materials, reference resources; basic computer skills; online social networking applications.

Able to: plan and present material to diverse groups; interact tactfully and effectively with the public and other staff; communicate clearly, accurately and concisely both orally and in writing.

Hours will include evenings, week-ends, holidays, daytime.

Ability to speak other languages that represent the demographics of the community is desirable.

How to apply:  Fill out the City of Sunnyvale’s application form and return it to:

Susan Denniston:  sdenniston@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us,  or  Sunnyvale Library,   665 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale CA 94086

With space still available in this online course, you can join author and self-described “evangelist” Nicole Engard to increase your awareness of how your library can benefit from flexible and affordable Open Source solutions.

Title:  Practical Open Source Software for Libraries (An Infopeople Online Learning Course)

Dates:  Tuesday, May 1, 2012 – Monday, May 28, 2012

Instructor:  Nicole Engard

To register for this course:  Click the link to Online Registration at:

http://infopeople.org/training/practical-open-source-software

Fee:  $75 for those in the California library community and Infopeople Partners, $150 for all others.

With the growing popularity of applications like Koha, Evergreen, Open Office, and Ubuntu, the library community is abuzz about open source software. Open source usually refers to an application whose source code is made available for use, change, or improvement in a public, collaborative manner. More than just programming, open source is about following a philosophy of free distribution and access. The open source world and the library world live by the same principles.

What does open source mean to you and your library? The benefits are immediately evident:

• More flexibility and freedom than using software purchased with license restrictions
• More affordable options than other alternatives on the market
• The ability to provide exceptional service with ever-decreasing budgets

This course will introduce you to what open source is, how easy it is to implement, and how to evaluate open source software options. You’ll be able to separate the facts from misconceptions and come away with a toolbox of over 60 open source applications that you can start using right away at your library.

This webinar will last approximately one hour. Webinars are free of charge.  Registration is ONLY done on the day of the event on the WebEx server starting 30 minutes before the start of the webinar. No Passwords are required.  For Tips and Registration Information, please go to http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/tips.html

For more information and to participate in the Tuesday, April 17, 2012
webinar, go to http://infopeople.org/training/bibliotherapy

The popularity of bibliotherapy has seen a resurgence in the last few years with an emphasis on using both fiction and non-fiction reading in highly creative ways. Its aim now is to increase individual well-being rather than simply focus on self-help and psychological disorders. These changes offer a renewed role for bibliotherapy in your library!

•     Does your Library Mission include a call to serve the educational and developmental needs of your community?
•     Are you looking for ways to engage a wide representation of your community?
•     Do your professional goals include reaching out to the most vulnerable, sensitive, and in need of help and enriching their lives?
•     Did you know that bibliotherapy is a perfect way to serve your community and address your Library Mission – all while offering the most rewarding programming of your career?

This one-hour webinar will review the benefits of bibliotherapy for all ages, provide examples of programming and services available, and share with you how to incorporate the use of bibliotherapy into your library.
At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:

•     Know the definition and stages of bibliotherapy
•     Learn the benefits and limitations of bibliotherapy
•     Know four ways bibliotherapy has been used in libraries
•     Learn ways to implement bibliotherapy services in a library setting

If you are unable to attend the live event, you can access the archived version the day following the webinar.  Check our archive listing at:  http://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar/archived