January 2005
News and Notes from the
Boston Regional Library System, Boston Public Library
BRLS Services are provided through state funds administered by the MA Board of Library Commissioners.
JoAnn Butler Henry Takes Over Regional Help Desk Duties
Got a problem with one of our databases? Give JoAnn a call. As of January 1, JoAnn has taken over the Regional Help Desk from Joe Fisher. If you have any questions relating to the regional databases, give JoAnn a call at 617-859-2384. JoAnn is in the Regional Office three days a week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Joe Fisher will still be around to provide back-up Help Desk duties. You can start with Joe on Mondays or Tuesdays, when JoAnn is not available. Joe can be reached at 617-859-2034. As always, any questions for the region can be directed to our main number, 617-859-2380. We're glad to help out!
BRLS Offers EBSCO Databases to Public, School, and Academic Members
The Boston Regional Library System has just purchased an 18-month license for nine EBSCO databases that offers public, school, and academic institutional use, and remote-use for all members of the region. The Boston Public Library's Joe Fisher has been working with EBSCO to get the database ready for use. All public, school, and acadmic libraries whose IP adresses are up-to-date in the Regional files will be able to connect directly to the EBSCO databases without entering library card numbers. Those who use dial-up connections, or dynamic IP addresses have the option of setting their cookies for automatic recognition, or entering a Boston Region library card number. Remote use of the catalog can be accessed from anywhere provided a Boston Region library card number is entered into the system. For school and academic libraries who do not use unique, standard format library cards, the Region can provide you with a unique library barcode for your institution that you can give to your customers for use at home.
BRLS has purchased EBSCO's popular Ultra Online Package, which includes six popular databases: MAS Ultra (School edition), Health Source: Consumer Edition, Newspaper Source, TOPICsearch, ERIC, and Professional Development Collection. These six databases have been augmented by BRLS with a trio of Marshall Cavendish Reference Centers: Multicultural, Science, and Wildlife, also available through EBSCO. To learn more about these databases, please visit the Region's special EBSCO database fact page.
Please enjoy the use of this exciting database package, and let us know what you think! It is important for the Regional Office to receive your feedback so that we are able to continually assess and improve the services we offer our members.
The BRLS Welcomes Four New Members!
The Boston Regional Library System is thrilled to welcome four new members to our ranks:
Alice Stern of the Winsor School Appointed to Newbery Committee!
Alice Stern,
president of the Advisory Council of the Boston Regional Library System, will
have a say in who are the best authors of fiction for children . Alice joins a
prestigious group of 15 librarian and critics from across the nation who will
select the year's Newbery award-winning books, according to the Winsor School
press release.
How did Alice enter into such distinguished company? "Well, I have served on other committees, such as the Printz Award, Best Books for Young Adults, and others," she said. "Half the committee is elected and half are appointed. I received a call from the chair of ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) who asked if I was interested."
Any of the thousands of children's books to be published in 2005 could emerge as the winner, so the Newbery Committee members are likely to be quite busy reading, reviewing and sharing contenders. While children's librarians, school media librarians and the children's literature community try to guess which books stand out in their contribution to children's literature, Alice will know. She will also have to join in maintaining the secrecy and suspense that surrounds the winners until they are announced at the ALA conference next January.
Some previous winners of the Newbery Medal include:
When asked what she expects to gain from the experience, Alice mentioned three highlights that are sure to compliment her work as a school librarian: to be immersed in new books; the reading of new books in relation to Readers' Advisory duties; and, discussing the books with colleagues.
Alice Stern is Director of the Virginia Wing Library of the Winsor School, Boston.
Source of image:"About the Newbery Medal." American Library Association. 2004. http://www.ala.org/alsc/nmedal.html
Special Collections: The Boston Athenaeum
The member libraries of the Boston Regional Library System house very special collections that explore many histories of Boston and Massachusetts. This month's interest is the Boston African Americana Collection of the Boston Athenaeum. The Athenaeum's unique digitized collection presents views of an extensive history of Boston's Black communities.
The Boston African Americana Collection, a collection of digitized materials relating to African Americans falls broadly within the categories of slavery, the abolition movement, free blacks, the Civil War, Emancipation, Reconstruction, rural life, urban life, social life, advertising, and depictions of men, women, and children, and consists of broadsides, caricatures, illustrations, manuscripts, pamphlets, political cartoons, portraits, and views. The database contains images and transcriptions of over five hundred items spanning the years 1770 to 1950, with the bulk of the collection falling around 1865.
The on-line Athenæum Database of Boston African Americans, 1820-1863, is a unique directory of names, addresses, and occupations for over 5,000 adult citizens of Boston, with information gathered from the city directories, census records, and tax assessors' books.
THE BOSTON ATHENÆUM, one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries in the United States, was founded in 1807 by members of the Anthology Society, a group of fourteen Boston gentlemen who had joined together in 1805 to edit The Monthly Anthology and Boston Review. Today its collections comprise over half a million volumes, with particular strengths in Boston history, New England state and local history, biography, English and American literature, and the fine and decorative arts. The Athenæum supports a dynamic art gallery, and sponsors a lively variety of events such as lectures and concerts. It also serves as a stimulating center for discussions among scholars, bibliophiles, and a variety of community interest groups.
Source: The Proprietors of the Boston Athenaeum, 2004. Boston Athenaeum, A Library & Cultural Center for Members and Scholars. Retrieved January 24, 2005.
Weblinks of Interest:
Boston Athenaeum Reference page
Welcome New Council Members
With the new year come new members on the Boston Regional Library System's Advisory Council. We would like to begin by thanking Mickey Zemon of Emerson College Library, Steve Fulchino from the State Library, and Eleanor Jensen, our member-at-large for the terrific job they have done on the Advisory Council for the past several years. Alice Stern, Director of the Virginia Wing Library at the Winsor School in Boston has taken over the role of chairperson for the Advisory Council.
BRLS would like to welcome our new council members, who are sure to provide some very valuable insight and guidance in their coming terms. Mark Lawrence is the Acting Director at the Roxbury Community College Library, Robert Brink, Executive Director of the Social Law Library, and Julianne Pemberton, new mother, and active Library user who steps into our member-at-large position.
Statewide InfoTrac Database Usage from Outside Your Library By Marlene Sue Heroux, Reference Information Systems Specialist, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
Good news for statistics junkies! You may recall that although Thomson/Gale added a "remote" column to its' Monthly Usage Summary" report beginning May 2003, their statistics program grouped usage from barcode logins with usage from IP and cookie authenticated computers. That meant that all of the usage for your library's patrons, whether in-library or remote appeared in the "internal" column on your monthly Thomson/Gale statistics report. "Quoth the raven, NEVERMORE." (sorry Edgar)
Beginning January 1, 2005, InfoTrac usage reports from Thomson/Gale will count your patron's remote usage separate from in-library usage. It will appear in the "remote" column on your reports. Thomson/Gale was able to make a change in their profiling that will allow this to take place.
Prior to January 1, 2005, to get a handle on remote usage for the first half of FY05 (July 2004-December 2004, you can check out the monthly report posted on several of the regions database statistics web pages. Paul Kissman, MBLC's Library Information Systems Specialist for each region, creates this monthly report. When your remote users enter their library barcode numbers at http://mblc.state.ma.us/cgi-bin.remote.pl, ("Read Magazines and Newspapers Online" barcode box), the authentication is actually being done by the MBLC server. Paul tracks usage on the MBLC server in several categories, including InfoTrac database usage for patrons who are being authenticated on the MBLC server. This statistic, which pairs the barcode number with the library that issued it, is counting sessions and closely correlates with the number of sessions that your users had using InfoTrac from outside the library. It represents a subset of the total number of sessions on the Thomson/Gale report for the same time period. For example, if your total Gale Internal usage is 1029 sessions, and Paul's report shows that your users logged in with their barcode numbers 429 times, Your total number of sessions for the month is 1029, with 600 being internal and 429 being remote.
Winter-Spring Schedule Announced!
The Boston Regional Library System is delighted to announce their Continuing Education Schedule for Winter/Spring 2005! As part of its core mission, BRLS provides free or subsidized training to library staff, trustees, educational supervisors, and school and library board members. CE workshops are open to all Regional Libraries, and where space allows, libraries across the state. Please check the Region's Continuing Education page complete details and registration information for this season's workshops.
New Positions Filled at the Boston Public Library!
Ronald E. Grim has been
appointed Curator of Maps for the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center. He assumes
this position after working 33 years for the Federal government with the
nation's two largest map collections at the National Archives and the Library
of Congress. His most recent position was Specialist in Cartographic History in
the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress, where he served as
the Executive Secretary of the Philip Lee Phillips Society, a friends and
support group for the Division. Prior to this appointment he worked in a number
of cartographic reference assignments including the Head of the Reference and
Bibliography Section in the Geography and Map Division and the Assistant Chief
for Reference in the Center for Cartographic and Architectural Archives in the
National Archives and Records Service.
Ron has published widely, especially on topics related to the historical geography of colonial Virginia and the history of North American cartography emphasizing exploration mapping of the western United States, large-scale land ownership mapping, and the place naming process. In addition, he has been a part-time instructor teaching courses on the historical geography of North America and maps as sources at George Washington University and the University of Maryland, College Park. While at the Library of Congress, he served as the Library's Member and was a past Chair of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. He is also Book Review Editor of Imago Mundi, the international journal for the history of cartography; a member of the Board of Review for the Osher Map Library at the University of Southern Maine, Portland; and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Geoscapes: Journal of Map and Geography Libraries.
Koren Stembridge joins
the Boston Public Library staff in a brand new position, Quality Services
Manager. The BPL is constantly renewing is strong commitment to public service,
and much of Koren's job is to insure that the quality of services we provide is
extremely high. Koren will provide leadership to the management, implementation
and evaluation of all Integrated Library System (ILS) services, both as a staff
tool and as a public service resource, working closely with the Applications
Manager and the Metro-Boston Library Network. In addition, Koren will be
responsible for all staff training related to the ILS, insuring its proper and
thorough use.
Koren spent the past seven years on Cape Cod as director of the Marstons Mills Public Library, and then the Osterville Free Library. Prior to moving to Massachusetts, Koren spent five years in Oregon public libraries as a young adult librarian, and later a reference and internet research specialist.
James Baillie has been
appointed Access Services Manager at the Boston Public Library. He will oversee
interlibrary loan, circulation and shelving services and book delivery. This
reorganization is modeled on the academic library model, where all library
functions related to providing customers with access to library materials,
regardless of format or location, are brought together as Access Services.
Jim’s career to date has prepared him very well for this challenging
position.
Jim started his library career as a library assistant at the Albany Memorial Hospital medical library. From there, he went to Brandeis University to manage the ILL department, the microform and current periodicals collections, and assist with supervision of the circulation desk. In Dec. 1999, he completed his MLS at Syracuse University, mounted a national job hunt and accepted a position at Kenyon College. When the science reference department position at the BPL opened up, he “jumped” at the chance to return to Boston. Some of the highlights since coming to the BPL include collaborating with Emerson College to bring the co-inventor of the Furby to speak and do a book signing, getting a grant to bring the Research Revolution film discussion series to the BPL, bringing Ed Burger from Williams College to talk about “magic and mathematics” to a standing room only crowd, and conducting astronomy programs at the BPL in his capacity as a Jet Propulsion Solar System Ambassador. He is currently working on his second Masters Degree (in astronomy) at Swinburne University of Technology.
Kerry Cronin has
been appointed Collection Development Manager at the Boston Public Library. She
will work closely with public services staff and technical services staff to
improve and ensure consistent coordination of all library materials selection
activities. Kerry will be responsible for providing leadership to the
coordination of all aspects of system-wide collection development, working with
staff and the public to build and maintain collections that meet the wide range
of public needs and interests. A key priority for this position is assuring
that practices are in place to insure that the library materials people seek
are readily available in the Library's collection.
Kerry first joined the BPL in 1995 as a Children's Librarian at the Lower Mills Branch Library. Since that time she has held a wide range of positions at the Central Library including: Children's Librarian, Reference Librarian in both the Social Sciences and Humanities Reference Departments, and Program Consultant for the Boston Regional Library System. More recent assignments have included supervising the Reader and Information Services and Audiovisual Departments, and two temporary management positions coordinating system wide services for youth and adults. In the past, Kerry has also worked as a Library Trustee at the Rye Public Library, Rye, NH, where she participated in formulating the library budget and worked with the Board to set policy and develop long range goals. Kerry holds a B.A. in literature, cum laude from the University of New Hampshire, and an MLS from Rutgers University.
Carol A. Mahoney
has been hired as the Neighborhood Services Manager for the Boston Public
Library. As manager of the 27 branches of the Library, Carol provides
leadership to all branch library services within the framework of goals,
policies and procedures established by the Board of Library Trustees and the
Strategic Process Team. She works closely with all parts of the organization to
ensure excellent public service delivery.
Over the past twenty years Carol has been the Library Director in Medway, Lynnfield, and Lexington, MA. Previously she worked as the Assistant Director at the Thayer Public Library in Braintree and held a variety of positions at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy. While the Director of the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington Carol was responsible for a $15.5 renovation, and restoration of the library. This nine year project was completed in April 2004 and is featured in Library Journal architectural issue. She is a graduate of Suffolk University and the University of Rhode Island. After twenty years of serving as a library administrator Carol wants to return to a position which will allow her more direct contact with the delivery of library services to the public and she looks forward to working with the branches in all of the neighborhoods.
February 9, 2005 - Ways & Means Day
MLA holds this annual event to educate members of the Legislature about the budgetary needs for libraries and library programs in the state for Fiscal Year 2006. Library supporters, especially those who have legislators sitting on the House or Senate Ways and Means Committees are asked to come to the State House and speak with Legislators about the library community's legislative agenda. All library advocates are welcomed to attend this event at the State House in Boston.
April 6, 2005 - MLA Legislative Day
MLA's Annual Library Legislative Day is an event for all library supporters to come to the State House in Boston and advocate for libraries and library funding. Librarians, Trustees and Friends of the Libraryies are urged to attend. The Massachusetts Center for the Book will award its Letters About Literature Awards at this event, a luncheon is served, and legislative briefings are held.
May 9 - 11, 2005 - MLA Annual Conference
Massachusetts librarians are "Defying Classification!" That's the theme for this year's Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference. With more professional development programs, exhibitors, and guest speakers than ever, join your colleagues from across the Commonwealth at the SeaCrest Oceanfront Resort & Conference Center for the most exciting regional conference around. Yes, the hotel is on the beach... and did we say, "Karoke?"
June 1 - 3, 2005 - School for Scanning 2005
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) PRESENTS
10th Anniversary School for Scanning: Building Good Digital Collections
June 1 - 3, 2005 The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers Boston,
Massachusetts
What is the School for Scanning? This conference, taught by some of our nation's leading experts in digital library development, provides current, essential information for managers of paper-based, photographic, audio, and video collections who are seeking to create, manage, and preserve digital assets. Although significant technical content will be presented, this is not a technician-training program. Conference content will include:
Who should attend? Administrators within cultural institutions, as well as librarians, archivists, curators, and other cultural or natural resource managers dealing with paper-based, photographic, audio, and video collections should find the School for Scanning conference highly relevant and worthwhile. Since the content and complexion of this conference evolves with the technology, it may prove beneficial to attend even if you have participated in a previous School for Scanning. An audience of 200 or more attendees is expected.
What does the conference cost? The cost of the conference is $410 and the registration deadline is May 3, 2005. Registration applications will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Visit the NEDCC Web site for a complete agenda and registration information. www.nedcc.org
Questions concerning registration procedures and information should be directed to Ginny Hughes at ghughes@nedcc.org.
Coordinator of Services to Libraries, Regional Services Office, Boston Public Library
Under the direction of the Regional Program Administrator, provides advisory services, planning, continuing education, and network services to the Boston Regional Library System (BRLS) and other libraries. Works in collaboration with the Quality Services Manager and the Application Manager to coordinate delivery of automated services. Oversees regional technology issues, implementation and operation of regional databases. Assumes responsibility for day to day operations of the Regional Services Program in the absence of the Regional Program Administrator.
See the complete job description at Boston Public Library Job Opportunities webpage. Please send a resume, references and cover letter, indicating how you learned of this vacancy, to the attention of: David C. Young Director of Human Resources , Boston Public Library 700 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116. You may also fax your package at (617) 266-4673, or e-mail to hr@bpl.org.
Chief Technology Officer, Boston Public Library
Under direction of the President and as part of the senior management team, performs a variety of management, supervisory and administrative duties aimed at giving leadership to all phases of the information technology activities at the Boston Public Library in the delivery of user friendly patron services and operations of the Library.
See the complete job description at Boston Public Library Job Opportunities webpage. Please send a resume, references and cover letter, indicating how you learned of this vacancy, to the attention of: David C. Young Director of Human Resources , Boston Public Library 700 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116. You may also fax your package at (617) 266-4673, or e-mail to hr@bpl.org.
Coordinator of Teens and Children's Services, Boston Public Library
Under the direction of the Community Services Manager, assumes functional responsibility for the development and coordination of services for children and teens in the Central Library and the neighborhood branch libraries, in liaison with the schools and throughout the City of Boston.
See the complete job description at Boston Public Library Job Opportunities webpage. Please send a resume, references and cover letter, indicating how you learned of this vacancy, to the attention of: David C. Young Director of Human Resources , Boston Public Library 700 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116. You may also fax your package at (617) 266-4673, or e-mail to hr@bpl.org.
Field Service Director, Northeast Document Conservation Center
NEDCC seeks manager with strong knowledge of library/archives preservation to head large, successful Field Service department. Opportunity to develop innovative programs, create a vision for outreach, and play a leadership role at a national level. Prefer MLS or equivalent; five years experience in a library, archives or museum; specialized training in preservation desirable. Must have teaching ability, experience supervising staff, ability to manage multiple projects; planning and writing skills. The Field Service Director plans and manages high profile conferences such as the School for Scanning; coordinates publications and education projects; builds strategic alliances with institutions and individuals; participates in teaching programs including international projects; supervises staff of five. See Website at www.nedcc.org. Excellent salary and benefits. Send letter of application, resume and three references. NEDCC, 100 Brickstone Square, Andover MA 01810; nedcc@nedcc.org.
Bibliographic and Technical Services Consultant, Central Massachusetts Regional Library System, Shrewsbury.
Facilitate the work of 250+ libraries as they adopt emerging practices in bibliographic and technical services. Join a responsive team working with members to improve the quality of life for all residents. The consultant is responsible for continuing education and advisory services in areas including cataloging, metadata, resource sharing, conversion, library systems and related areas. If you can identify and articulate emerging trends, multi-task, and embrace change in a fast-paced environment, this could be the job for you. A Master of Library Science degree from a library school accredited by the American Library Association and five years professional (post-graduate) library work are required. Salary range begins at $47,600. Excellent benefits.
See the complete job description at www.cmrls.org/job.html. Please send CV, letter of application, and the contact information for three individuals who will act as references for your professional work to: mboyda@cmrls.org. Review of applications begins on February 7, 2005. The position is open until filled.
Trainer/Consultant for Technology, Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System
The Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System is seeking a creative, dynamic customer service oriented TRAINER/CONSULTANT for TECHNOLOGY. Job responsibilities include providing technology infrastructure support for Metrowest and continuing education programming and advisory services to a 349 member - and growing multi-type library system. This position requires keeping abreast of current library technology and its potential impact on Metrowest and its members in key areas such as library automation systems, metadata, cataloging and MARC records, digitization, bibliographic databases, networking, PC applications and cutting-edge technologies. Candidates must demonstrate experience with workshop presentations, WEB technologies, and various library automation trends.
Ability to work independently, but also be a team player with initiative. Qualifications: MLS. Minimum of five years of professional library work and/or comparable experience appropriate to the duties and responsibilities of the position. Experience with Dreamweaver desirable.
Salary $55,511-$72,429 based on experience. Full benefits package. For full job description see www.mmrls.org/jobdesc.html.
Position open until filled, but applications received by February 17, 2005 will receive first consideration.
Send letter of application, resume and three references to Sondra Vandermark, Regional Administrator, Metrowest MA Regional Library System, 135 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA 02452-8424.
Back to the Boston Region Home Page