LISNews: Librarian News

The Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library recently received the Psychologically Healthy Workplace award from the Ohio Psychological Association. Leslie Hartley, adult services manager, accepted the award on behalf of the library. Kudos!

The application process for this award was part of the library’s ongoing wellness initiative, spearheaded by Hartley.

“The evaluation team was impressed by the library staff’s quick recovery and teamwork following the widespread economic meltdown of 2009, and their success in rebuilding their work teams and service model,” said Hartley.

The library’s award-winning wellness initiative, also recognized by Ohio, includes a demonstration garden, nutrition and exercise information, participation in charity events such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl-a-Thon and several 5K runs, and inclusion of the broader community in the library’s wellness activities.

The library’s wellness program is being nominated for a national Psychologically Healthy Workplace award as well.

Story from Chillicothe Gazette.

The future of information access, part 1 and The future of information access, part 2... from Jill Hurst-Wahl. Earlier this month, Sean Branagan, who is the director of the Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, asked that she guest lecture in his class on the topic of the future of information access. The class is seeking input from a wide variety of industries on what the future may hold and its impact on communications (e.g., news). In her 1.5 hour lecture, she spoke about the following ideas, some of which are evident in today's environment...

NPR ran a piece called How Does The CIA Use Social Media? They mention how the CIA is following publicly available information like Facebook, Twitter, and foreign radio stations to gather information. They mention that some of their information gatherers are people with Masters of Library Science degrees. Later in the piece the researchers are referred to as "Ninja Librarians".

There's a lot of complaining going on in Chicago over Mayor Emanuel's budget cuts. City librarians are pitching in with a read-in in front of the Mayor's office to voice opposition to his plan to cut library hours, holding up "Boo to Library Cuts" and other messages of protest.

Children sat on the floor in their Halloween costumes as librarians held an interactive story time reading books such as “Go Away Big Green Monster” and “Bark, George”.

Jenny Vitzileos’ seven children, ages 1 to 14, were among the crowd who held up signs that read “We Shall Not be Shushed!” and “No Library Cuts, Don’t Lock Out Learning.” Vitzileos said her family has relied on the Irving Park branch for book reports and Internet access over the years.