What’s New at Your State Library?

Highlights for the 2012 NYLA Annual Conference

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  • Creating the Future – New York State has a new statewide plan for library services, Creating the Future: A 2020 Vision and Plan for Library Service in New York State. The plan features 60 recommendations. More information | Blog: latest news on implementation
  • NOVELNY (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library) use continues to grow with with 5,600 libraries participating statewide and more than 55 million searches in 2012! Check out the Facebook page and databases freely available to New York libraries and residents at NOVELNY.
  • Connect2Compete Digital Literacy Initiative – New York is working in partnership with ALA, IMLS and others on the Connect2Compete digital literacy initiative. The national Ad Council will launch a $90 million national campaign in Spring 2013 to promote the importance of digital literacy and encourage people to take advantage of the technology services offered at local public libraries. More about the Connect2Compete initiative
  • Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on Tour! This Fall, the only surviving handwritten draft of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (EP) traveled to eight cities throughout New York. So far, over 11,000 New Yorkers have visited the exhibition. The EP is a State Library treasure and it will be on display at the Cultural Education Center in Albany on November 9 and 10. More information
  • 2013 Summer Reading at New York Libraries -- Dig into Reading and Beneath the Surface -- New York teams up with 48 other states in a national Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP). The 2013 manual and art work will be available at the State Library Booth (#25) and on Saturday at the YSS “Table Talks” program. Over 1.7 million young people participated in summer 2012 – a 5% increase! More information | Check out the new “Summer Reading News” blog and news
  • Resources for Teens and Librarians Working with Teens are available on the new TeenNY Facebook page, and visit summerreadingnys.org to find out more about the 2013 Teen Video Challenge competition!
  • Digital Audio Books And Players Are Popular! The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) provides digital books and players to all registered borrowers who qualify for talking book services in New York State. A portion of the digital audio collection, currently about 9,000 titles, is in cartridge format and is sent FREE to eligible borrowers at their home or affiliated institutions, such as schools or health facilities. Borrowers can also download the complete digital audio collection, currently over 28,000 titles, using BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download). BARD is overseen by the National Library Service at the Library of Congress. Institutions like schools, senior centers, and health facilities as well as public libraries may also now apply for a BARD account to assist their patrons. More information about Talking Book services or to access online applications to register for service
  • New Netherland in a Nutshell by Firth Haring Fabend is the story of New Netherland from the exploration of Henry Hudson in 1609 to the final transfer of the Dutch colony to the English in 1674. The book introduces key aspects of New Netherland that persisted long after the area became New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. One copy will be provided for free by the New Netherland Institute for each public library outlet in the state. Ordering information
  • Research Library Digital Collections Now Available Through ArchivalWare! Collections include born digital documents and items from a variety of formats scanned by the State Library. Historical collections cover a large array of 18th and 19th century materials from many subject areas, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Native American materials, and New York State laws and natural history. View these collections
  • Click on librarycareersny.org for Professional Development and More! Do you need career information? Online graduate programs? Job listings, or opportunities for professional development? Take a look at librarycareersny.org. Click on the Calendar Menu to see upcoming training opportunities for library staff available across New York State.
The above information is available in .PDF format
Last Updated: April 30, 2013 -- asm