NewsLeader - 2006 Fall


Wow! What a conference! This year was filled with so many tips, tricks and just plain good suggestions that I left with my head spinning. We marveled at Dr. Engle’s fascinating recounting of how Charles Dickens became the richest author of all times by selling his books to the same people three times and each time at a higher price. What a genius!

We were inspired by Jackie Hardrick as she told of how she started writing and encouraged each of us to find the story within us and share it with others. Our eyes and minds were opened and expanded as Doug Johnson talked of the future of libraries and our part in it. We finished with Steve Berry thrilling us with his exploits at trying to research his novels and the intrigue and danger that this involves. And this was just the icing on the cake. The cake, (aka concurrent sessions) was filled with many insights and helpful information that we could put to use as soon as we returned home.

It was awesome that we had the national leaders for all four of our organizations present at the conference this year. Cindi Phillip, AASL President, had a wonderful session with us to allow us to give her feedback to take back to the AASL committees that are working to get the NCES definition changed and the wording in the NCLB law to include media specialists as being defined as highly qualified. I urge each of you to keep abreast of what is going on nationally in our field. If you can, volunteer to work on some of the AASL committees.

There was even time for some real work-on-the-work as we planned for how to go forward with our GPS/ Information Power/ISTE Standards correlation. If you are interested in being involved in this project, please let contact Rosalind Dennis, Juanita Buddy or myself.

Now for the future- what do you have to share at the next conference which will be held on Oct. 17-19, 2007 at Jekyll Island? Don’t forget that NECC is coming to Atlanta in June and we need some volunteers to help with the Ask Me Booths. Contact Cawood Cornelius if you will help with this. Beyond that – GLMA will be conference chair for the 2008 COMO conference. We need help finding a site for the conference, choosing the speakers and a thousand other tasks. If you can help, contact Rosalind Dennis.

For the love of learning and books,
Donna Milner, 2006 GLMA President

Greetings from Rosalind Dennis
GLMA President-elect

Membership
In her book, WhenAutumnFalls, Kelli Nidey observes that the fall season is aptly named because the season is characterized by falling leaves, falling apples, falling players on the football field, and falling temperatures. I believe fall is a time for rejuvenation and renewal. Members, I encourage you to “fall” for the challenge of encouraging LMSs in your district who have not joined GLMA, to join our professional organization. Working together we can make a difference and achieve our program goals. Share these “Top Ten Reasons to Join GLMA” with prospective members of GLMA.

Top Ten Reasons to Join GLMA

10. GLMA supports the State and Regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowls.

9. GLMA supports the Georgia Peach Award for Teen Readers.

8. GLMA members receive a discount for GaCOMO Conference registration.

7. GLMA Mini Grants are available to members.

6. GLMA partners with GAIT to support the Georgia Library Media Specialist of the Year Award.

5. GLMA District meetings and support

4. GLMA Summer Institute 2007

3. GLMA has an active communications network that reaches across the whole state.

2. GLMA partners with effective lobbyists who advocate for us at the state capitol.

1. GLMA is the largest professional organization devoted exclusively to Georgia School Library Media Programs.

For the membership application and other information, please share this website with your peers and colleagues.

http://www.glma-inc.org/membership.htm

AASL Vision Summit
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) will be hosting a “vision summit” December 1-3, in Chicago, to bring together a diverse group of representatives from all areas of the profession (practitioners at all levels, academics, leaders in state organizations, etc.). These representatives from around the country will assemble to explore the school library media program of the future, and to identify what needs to be done to achieve that vision. The ideas generated at the AASL Vision Summit will support the development of new guidelines for the profession. Additionally, based on the AASL Board decision to rewrite the standards for student learning, the summit proceedings will also impact this work.

Each AASL affiliate may send a state representative to participate in this summit. As your GLMA representative at the summit, I encourage you to share your ideas on the “school library media program of the future,” including your thoughts on what needs to be done to achieve that vision. Please e-mail ( Rosalind_L_Dennis@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us) your comments and ideas by Monday, November 27, so that I will have adequate time to review your comments, and if necessary, contact you for clarification. It is exciting to have the opportunity to represent you and to participate in this exchange of ideas and information on this important topic. I look forward to receiving your thoughts. Have a great fall!

Welcome to the GLMA
Fall Newsleader!!

There are many exciting developments happening in the field of the school library media specialist. We need to make sure that as professionals we are staying abreast of the new technologies, changes in legislation, as well as updated instructional practices. I was fortunate to be able to attend the School Library Journal Summit which was recently held in Chicago . The purpose of this summit was to develop a white paper that will outline the dynamic roles of the school library media specialist in supporting and enabling learning in the 21st century. The three areas of interest were as follows:

Technology and Literacy which brought together school librarians, members of the reading community, and others, this group explored the impact of technology on reading and literacy.

The School Media Center in the Information-Rich World which brought together school librarians, classroom teachers, administrators, and others, this group looked at how digital libraries and services can support student achievement.

School Library 2.0 brought together school librarians, technology coordinators, classroom teachers, and futurists, this group looked at how emerging technologies that are a part of learners’ lives can be integrated into education.

Please refer to the following for more information on the SLJ Summit 2006.
Click here

Rosalind Dennis will be representing GLMA at the upcoming AASL Summit so please read her greeting to find out more on this opportunity for Georgia LMS to have input on the revised Information Power Standards.

Donna Milner has provided an excellent overview of GaCOMO 2006 and the newsletter had many summaries provided from presenters.

Take time to read the informative articles by Anne Browning, Rebecca Amerson, and Tommy Johns.

NECC 2007 in Atlanta will be here before we know it. Registration and housing information has already been posted. Please see the special opportunities for Georgia educators located under NECC. Consider volunteering to receive your t-shirt plus my gratitude. GLMA will be staffing the “Ask me” stations, so make sure you check this when you sign-up to volunteer. Thanks in advance.

I have enjoyed serving as the GLMA Past-President and as my term comes to an end, I will be able to devote more time to the communications of GLMA. Please continue to keep me posted on happenings in the world of the school library media center programs.

Please send article submissions in .rtf or MS Word format (.doc). If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments feel free to contact me at the following:

Cawood Cornelius,
GLMA News Leader Editor,

cawoodcornelius@aol.com

ccornelius@gcbe.org