With winter holidays just around the corner, the ALA Public Programs Office would like to remind you to set aside time to apply for the newest We the People Bookshelf on the Pursuit of Happiness. Online applications are due by JANUARY 31, 2007. If you are one of nearly 900 librarians who have already submitted an application, thank you!

A project of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), in cooperation with the ALA Public Programs Office, the Bookshelf presents a simple opportunity to acquire new books and materials for your library, develop theme-related programs for young people and their families, and participate in a national library programming initiative.

In spring 2007, ALA and NEH will be awarding a Bookshelf - 15 classic books for young readers on the "Pursuit of Happiness" theme - to 2,000 school (K-12) and public libraries. Selected libraries will also receive four of the titles in Spanish translation, a bonus CD, bookplates, bookmarks and posters to promote local programming.

Guidelines and the application are available online through January 31, 2007. Libraries applying to receive the collection are required to develop a program plan that will introduce the collection and its theme - the "Pursuit of Happiness" - to students and/or patrons. Need programming ideas for your application? Visit

http://maildogmanager.com/link.htmlurl=472&client=ala1&campaign=229&email=kkietzman@sls.lib.ia.us for a list of suggestions and tips. To access to the guidelines and application, book titles, and further details, visit

http://maildogmanager.com/link.htmlurl=472&client=ala1&campaign=229&email=kkietzman@sls.lib.ia.us.

Have questions? Contact publicprograms@ala.org

P.S. Please share this information with other libraries in your area! Multiple libraries within a system/district may apply for and receive Bookshelves.

Happy Reading!


For those of you that may not already know, SLS subscribes to several publications (library related) that we in turn rotate to you. We receive the issue every month/quarter, mail it to the first on the list and so on. Each participant keeps them for a week, passes them on to the next, and then we store them here for a few years (note that in case you ever need an article or would like to borrow an issue-a full list will be on our website soon!)

The publications we subscribe to are:

OPL (One Person Library)
Library Journal
School Library Journal
Friends of Libraries Newsletter
Voya
Unabashed Librarian

Please feel free to check out the ‘One Person Library’ website http://www.ibi-opl.com/ to get a feel of if that publication would be useful to you and your library.

If you are interested in being in any of these rotations, please Amanda Wright know as soon as possible.


Thanks!