ISSN 2369-4939
Volume 5 Issue 1

January 1, 2019

Happy New Year!

After days of chocolate-covered everything, and cheese-smothered anything, it's back to a much more basic menu.  In many ways, it is comforting to return to a routine and predictable schedule.

On December 1st, Dorothea Warren and I met with the Public Library Engagement Panel in Saskatoon and it proved to be a fruitful meeting of information sharing and  forward thinking for public libraries in Saskatchewan. We were pleased to have the opportunity to talk with the panel about SLA and its important role in the province.  We look forward to follow-up by the panel and an opportunity for public consultation on the government's planning around libraries and library services.

The Board continues to think about the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan.  In the coming months, we will find ways of communicating the key ideas and goals.

Conference 2019 planning is in high gear as May is fast approaching.  As more details are confirmed in the coming days, we will share them.  It is sure to be an exciting and stimulating Conference with many contributors from various sectors.  There will be a little something for everyone!

The Board will meet again via teleconference in mid-January for a short business meeting.  Budget time has come again and that is always a big job for our Treasurer, Brad Doerksen, and our Executive Director, Dorothea Warren.

All the best to you as you begin a new year!

Alison Jantz

SLA President

Executive Directors Report

Happy New Year

February Social - Hosts Wanted

The Winter Social is scheduled for February 20 from 5:00 to 7:30. Socials provide a wonderful opportunity to get together, share stories, and catch up on news and views.  We are asking for volunteer host s to arrange venues and greet participants. SLA does not provide funds for the winter social. If you can offer to be a host please submit your name to Dorothea at [email protected] .

Conference Planning:  Save the Dates May 2 - 3, 2019

Conference Planning becomes increasingly busy over the next months. Many thanks to all who submitted proposals for concurrent sessions, spotlights and panels. All proposals have been submitted to the Program Committee and we expect to be contact before mid-month. Many thanks to all who have offered to share their expertise. We are also finalizing arrangements with excellent t speakers for the Mary Donaldson Lecture and Plenary Sessions.

There is considerable behind the scenes work to ensure an engaging conference that has an appeal to a range of delegates.

Presentation to the Panel on Engagement with Public Libraries

SLA was fortunate to meet with the government appointed panel on December 1, 2018. Our presentation was based on the key areas of inquiry that were provided to all participants: governance, legislation, role clarity and responsibilities, impact of fiscal pressures, and the future of public libraries. Discussions at the meeting were focused and thoughtful. The significance of the panel's work is well understood by SLA and we continue to promote a positive, forward thinking approach that recognizes the value able role of public libraries and what is required to support that role. We understand that once the panel concludes its work, a report will be prepared and public consultation will follow.

Read more

SLA is requesting expressions of interest  to  participate on the CFLA Intellectual Freedom Committee. Our current committee member,  Terms of reference for the committee may be found here.

Please indicate your interest by submitting your resume along with a letter to [email protected].

• What's New at the Multitype Library Board?

• The latest CFLA update is here.

NNELS & CELA: Providing Equitable Library Services to Patrons with Print Disabilities

As many as 10% of Canadians have a print disability which limits their ability to read traditional books, and that number is expected to increase as the population ages. Less than 5% of all materials published in Canada are available in formats accessible to the print disabled. However, due to a copyright exemption, accessible content can be created for persons with print disabilities through organizations such as  the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) and the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA). Saskatchewan's public libraries are partners with NNELS and CELA and through this cooperation offer patrons with a print disability access to a broad range of formats including audio, braille, and e-text.

What is a print disability?

A print disability is a learning, physical, or visual disability that prevents a person from reading in the usual manner. Examples of what constitutes a print disability include:

• an impairment related to reading comprehension;

• the inability to hold or manipulate print materials due to arthritis or hand or wrist injuries;

• a total or partial impairment of sight which can result from many different causes.

Read more

Library and Archives Canada News

In its continuing efforts to renew its library system, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has launched Aurora

, a new interface to access LAC's published holdings.

With Aurora and the successful launch earlier this year of Voilà, the new National Union Catalogue that contains the holdings of hundreds of Canadian libraries, LAC now offers two easy ways to access Canada's rich published heritage from anywhere in the world. Both Voilà and Aurora are hosted by OCLC, the world's largest online resource for discovering library materials.

With the new library system, LAC will benefit from state-of-the-art tools, in line with library peers, that will enable us to gain daily efficiencies to better serve Canadians and the library community. Aurora will also help raise awareness of LAC's collections and increase user autonomy for requesting materials.

For over 20 years, LAC has been relying on the now technologically outdated AMICUS as its library system. In preparation for the decommissioning of AMICUS scheduled for the spring, users are now invited to consult Aurora and Voilà for their library needs.

With the launch of our new catalogue for published materials, Aurora, LAC will begin accepting requests to its Loans to Other Institutions (LOI) program using OCLC's WorldShare Interlibrary Loan.  As a result, we would ask all institutions that have subscribed to OCLC ILL services to use them to place their requests for LAC's published materials.

For those institutions that do not subscribe to OCLC services, a form is available on LAC's LOI web page to submit your requests.

LAC is no longer accepting LOI requests via the AMICUS ILL form.  However, the form will remain available for ILL between other Canadian libraries until AMICUS is decommissioned in March 2019.  At that point, libraries will need to use another approach to submit ILL requests for holdings in Canada's National Union Catalogue, Voilà.  For information about available options, please visit Questions about Interlibrary loan (ILL) .

Should you have any questions about LAC's LOI program, please contact [email protected] .  For information about LAC's transition from AMICUS to Aurora and Voilà, please contact [email protected] .

Applications for Continuing Education Grants Due February 15, 2019

Professional Development activities can have a huge impact on your career!  And SLA can help!  Have a great idea for a workshop for library staff? Interested in attending a conference, workshop, or professional development opportunity?  SLA offers Continuing Education (CE) grants to provide and support relevant educational opportunities for its members.  Applications for CE category one, two, and three grants are now being accepted.  All applications are due by February 15th, 2019.

Details are available on the website.

Apply today!

The Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) is having a contest !

We are looking for a theme for Saskatchewan Library Week (October 20-26, 2019) that is short, catchy, and represents all the library types in Saskatchewan. The successful entry will be used on all of our promotional materials-posters, bookmarks and advertising. SLA Board, staff, and committee members are eligible to submit entries, but are not eligible to win the prize (a $25 Chapters gift certificate).

Deadline for submissions is 4:30 p.m. March 29, 2019.

Questions? Please email your entry or question to Anne Pennylegion, Program Coordinator at [email protected]

Mark Your Calendars!

Freedom to Read Week 2019 is February 24 to March 2, 2019.

Reminder: The deadline for receipt of applications for Freedom to Read Week Grants is January 15, 2019

SLA is once again offering 10 $200 grants to libraries planning special projects. All types of libraries are invited to apply, including academic institutions.The application form is here. There is also a dropbox full of graphics, including a web banner, that are free to use.

The link is here. More ideas and resources are on the FTRW website.

Reminder: The deadline for receipt of SLW 2018 follow up reports is January 11, 2019

Learning Opportunities:

• The Saskatchewan School Library Association is hosting author Ruth Culham on April 11, 2019 in Saskatoon and on April 12, 2019 in Regina. Please refer to their website for more information.

Other News

The Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre (SICC) will host its first ē-micimināyakik: Museums, Cultural Centres, Archives, Interpretive Centres & Libraries Gathering on May 2-3, 2019 at the Ramada by Wyndham Saskatoon in Saskatoon, SK.

An event of this scope has never been held in Canada. This Indigenous focused gathering will include presentations, keynote addresses, workshops, large and small group discussions and networking opportunities. Our goal is to share issues, ideas, progress and solutions for First Nations museums, cultural centres, archives, interpretive centres and libraries. The Indigenous gathering is primarily attended by Indigenous curators, archivists, librarians, researchers, interpretive centres and museum professionals. However, we fully expect Indigenous grassroots community members and leadership in attendance.

For more information, please visit their website.

Newsletters from other cultural organizations

• The Museums Association newsletter is here.
• Look at what's happening in North Battleford
• Heritage Saskatchewan's December newsletter is here.
• The Wapiti newsletter celebrates the  90th anniversary of Melfort Public Library.