NELA News                         February 2009

NELA News is a monthly e-newsletter of the New England Library Association

NELA Educational Assistance

• Need money for library school?
• Did you know that NELA offers scholarships for New England residents working on a Master's degree in Library Science?
• Well, we do - two scholarships each for full and part-time students, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
• Interested?  Complete details and an application form are on this site.  Be sure to submit your completed application form to your graduate school's Dean's office by March 15 (the Educational Assistance Committee cannot accept direct applications.)
• If you have any questions, please contact Vickie Turcotte, Chair of the Educational Assistance Committee (educationalassistance@nelib.org).

Rick Riordan: Mythology and Magic in the Classroom

Presented by The Youth Services Section of the Massachusetts Library Association and the New England Roundtable of Children's and Teen Librarians

• Friday, April 3, 2009, 9:30-12:00 pm
• College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
• Online registration will be available soon

Details are here: http://masslib.org/yss/2009SpringProgram/index.htm

Due to high interest, ticket sales are limited to one per person, and purchaser must be a member of MLA, NELA, any New England State Library Association, a New England state school library association, or currently enrolled in an MLS program.

NETSL (New England Technical Services Librarians) Spring Conference

• April 17, 2009
• College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Watch for further announcements with program and registration details.
Questions, suggestions, or other feedback? Contact Amy Benson at netslpresident@nelib.org.
NETSL: New England Technical Services Librarians is a section of the New England Library Association. For more information about NETSL see http://www.nelib.org/netsl.

"IT'S HAPPENING IN HARTFORD"       SAVE THE DATE!

You are cordially invited to the next NELA Annual Conference.

• When: October 18-20, 2009
• Where: Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford, CT

We're planning many innovative learning opportunities and entertaining programs for the interests of both public and academic library devotees. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for all of the happenings. 

A Sneak Peak

• New Technology Discovery & Application
• Humor in the workplace – something we can all use
• A presentation about Library Advocacy and Return on Investment
• Our gaming room will be back by popular demand
• Reception and NELA Games on Monday the 19th

The Connecticut Convention Center is located right next door to the new Connecticut Science Center that will be opening this Spring 2009. It is also across the street from the Wadsworth Atheneum. A bit further away is the Mark Twain House and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. Plan to take some time to visit these venues while you are in Hartford. Hartford generously offers a free Star Shuttle Service that leaves the Convention Center Monday-Friday every 12 minutes, stopping at some of the above locations as well as area hotels and restaurants.

We will be continually updating the NELA Website as we get closer to the date. We're excited about our regional conference and we hope you will be as well. This is a chance to get us all together for collaboration, learning, and connections. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, & Vermont.

NELA Membership

Membership Renewal notices have been sent out. You should have received yours. If your form is missing the complete listing of sections, fill in the one(s) you are interested in. If you have friends or co-workers who would like to join NELA, check out the Member-for-a-Member Program and get a coupon for yourself good towards reduced dues or conference fees.

Register by mail (check) or online (credit card).

Libraries in the News

A reader sent in this suggestion. If you have a story about how libraries in your area helped people through the winter ice and snow, send it in to publications@nelib.org and we'll combine them into a story of how we survived the Winter of 08-09.

If you have stories to share about how your libraries are helping people in this economic environment, send those as well. We have a lot to offer and just need to tell our story.

State Conferences this spring:

Sad News

April Mazza was kind enough to share this news with NERTCL. Many of you have heard the terrible news of the loss of Kate McClelland and Kathy Krasniewicz from Old Greenwich, CT. I just thought that since Kate and Kathy were a part of the NELA family that this information should go out on this (NERTCL) list. Please follow this link for more information. My deepest sympathies go out to both women's families, friends and communities. They will be sorely missed.

American Libraries Direct, Feb. 4, 2009 has the announcement as well.

NELA News is a monthly e-newsletter of the New England Library Association. It is published the first week of the month. Deadline for news items and articles is the last day of the previous month.
To submit news or articles contact: publications@nelib.org;
NELA, 31 Connor Lane, Wilton, NH 03086; 603-654-3533, 603-654-3526 fax
Jan Drake, Publications Committee