Monday, February 25, 2008

Official Website for Texas Elections

Another source of information about voting in Texas, how primaries work in Texas, etc., is the official Texas elections website at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/index.shtml

At that site, voters can find out whether or not they're registered by visiting https://team.sos.state.tx.us/voterws/viw/faces/SearchSelectionVoter.jsp

To find out the location of their Election Day voting site, voters need only enter the Voter Identification ID (VUID) from their Voter's Registration Certification or, if they provided a drivers' license number when they registered, they may enter that license number when visiting https://team.sos.state.tx.us/voterws/viw/faces/SearchSelectionPolling.jsp

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Bedford Public Library Wins Teen Tech Week Mini Grant from ALA/YALSA

Bedford Public Library is the only library in the state - and one of ONLY 20 in the nation - named to receive a Teen Tech Week Mini Grant from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA). The grants give each winning library $450 cash and $50 worth of Teen Tech Week products to offer inventive activities, resources and services to celebrate Teen Tech Week, March 2-8.

The 2008 Teen Tech Week Mini Grants are made possible by Teen Tech Week 2008 Corporate Sponsor Dungeons & Dragons, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

For a complete list of the winners, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/teentechweek/ttw08/contests/winners.cfm

Additional information about Teen Tech Week is available at http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Teen_Tech_Week

To list your library's plans, or to find out more about Teen Tech Week events, visit http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Tune_In_%40_Your_Library_resources#Teen_Tech_Week_2008_.40_.2Ayour.2A_library (Registration required to post.)

For more information, contact YALSA at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4390 or yalsa@ala.org.

NPR highlights video games in libraries

Gaming and libraries - hear what Michigan is doing...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19141461

Monday, February 18, 2008

Texas Voter Information

Calling out to all Texas Libraries!
The Secretary of State's campaign Votexas needs all of the Texas libraries to help educate Texans about voting. Because this is an election year, it makes it even more important to have this information out and available to all Texans.
We have comprehensive, bilingual brochures available for distribution at your branches. Also, we would love to have our logos and links on your websites and to be included in any newsletters or community postings.
If you are interested in participating in this voter education effort please contact me as soon as possible. In the mean time, please check out our new website at www.votexas.org
Thank you and I look forward to working with you!
Enea BaƱales
ThinkStreet
3601 South Congress Avenue
Building B, Suite 300
Austin, Texas 78704
512.444.7900
512.444.7950 (f)

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Consider WILLA CATHER SPEAKS for your library

The Weatherford Public Library will be bringing Betty Jean Steinshouer from Florida to do her nationally-acclaimed WILLA CATHER SPEAKS program on THE MAKING OF MY ANTONIA for the Big Read project on April 17. Since her travel expenses to Texas will be paid, she has offered to stay for up to a week after and make her programs available to other libraries that are within a few hours' drive of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Some of you may remember the very successful MEET LAURA INGALLS WILDER tour that she did in the fall of 2003, under a mini-grant from the Texas Humanities Council. She would be willing to work with any libraries who might need funding assistance again. Be in touch with her as soon as you can at bjsteinshouer@mindspring.com or her voice mail at 727/826-6217.

Although she is coming to Texas to do Willa Cather, other authors in her repertoire besides Cather and Wilder include Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Gertrude Stein, Sarah Orne Jewett and Marjory Stoneman Douglas. She also does combined programs such as ON HEMINGWAY and AMERICA AT WAR.

Friday, February 01, 2008

Texas Municipal Library Directors Association 2008 Membership Dues Renewal

Greetings from your TMLDA President Kerry McGeath,

We would like for you to join us in the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association (TMLDA) for 2008. You can save time and postage by joining online with a credit card at www.tmlda.org/duesrenewal.html . An instant confirmation will be sent to you for your records.

By your commitment to TMLDA, you strengthen the ability of your Association to meet your informational needs and represent your interests.

Remember, too, that membership is now open to Library Directors, Assistant Directors, Department Heads, County Librarians and System Coordinators. Please encourage others to join as well.

Some of the benefits you get from being a TMLDA member are:
* A forum for Directors and Administrators to get together and share common concerns;
* Participation in the TML legislative process, a critical arena for Texas libraries;
* A program at the Texas Municipal League's (TML) Annual Conference held in the Fall;
* Eligibility to apply for “Achievement of Excellence in Library’s Award”; and,
* Reduced subscription rates for TML's monthly magazine Texas Town & City, and/or the Texas City Officials Directory and Buyer's Guide.

For more information about TMLDA, visit our web site at www.tmlda.org. If you have any questions regarding your renewal, please contact me at (817) 748-8384 or KMcGeath@ci.southlake.tx.us.

We would be grateful for your support and hope to work with you through your participation in TMLDA this year.