This Month at CLC: July/August 2021 |
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NAVIGATING THE FUTURE - NOW!
Jennifer Keohane
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CLC has officially entered its 19th year! Our 18th annual membership meeting, held last month, was well attended and provided a strong introduction to our FY20-21 accomplishments as well as our plans for FY21-22. In case you missed it - and the announcement of my departure from CLC in January 2022 - you can find the details here. And be sure to keep reading to see who won this year's Jan Gluz Cooperative Spirit Award.
CLC is moving forward on its new strategic plan, and the team is working on discounts, professional development, and other programs that we hope meet the needs identified by you through recent surveys and focus groups.
We are so fortunate to have a very strong and engaged CLC Board of Trustees (pictured above) to help us, not only with our strategic plan, but also with a myriad of projects. This committed group of 15 of your peers meets monthly to represent your interests. We hope you will reach out to them as well as CLC staff to share your ideas, concerns, and issues. You can learn more about the CLC board by visiting ctlibrarians.org/board, and meet our newest board members below.
I’m still here and actively engaged in leading CLC through the end of 2021, so don’t hesitate to call or email me also. I wish you a lovely summer.
Jennifer Keohane, Executive Director
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MEET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS |
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It is our pleasure to welcome the newest members of the CLC Board of Trustees, who were voted in at our annual meeting in June: |
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Audra MacLaren is the new director of the Gunn Memorial Library in Washington. Previously she worked in technology and adult services at the Oliver Wolcott Library in Litchfield for 16 years. She also serves on Bibliomation's ILS Steering Committee. Audra will bring valuable perspective on small/rural public libraries and additional representation from the "quiet corner" to CLC's board.
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Mary Ellen Minichiello is an Adjunct Professor in the Information & Library Science Department at SCSU, responsible for teaching classes and supervising student teachers in school library media. A lifelong educator, Mary Ellen taught English, journalism and philosophy before becoming a media specialist in 2004, serving in various positions in the Milford school system through 2017. She also worked at the Stratford Library for many years. Always professionally active, Mary Ellen has been president of the New England School Librarians Association as well as the CT Association of School Librarians, and has served on numerous other library boards and committees.
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Carrie Seiden is the Library Media Specialist at Totoket Valley Elementary School in North Branford, and has been working in school libraries for more than two decades. She also serves on the board of the CT Association of School Librarians, and will be an important bridge between the organizations. "My job title is 'School Librarian,' and I carry out all of the responsibilities of my position with pride in my profession," Carrie tells us. "I will advocate for CLC and all CT libraries with that same level of pride and enthusiasm."
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We thank these new members and all of our returning members for their time, talent, and commitment to CLC and Connecticut libraries! CLC's board is designed to represent all CLC members, so please feel free to reach out to any of our trustees with your ideas and concerns. You'll find a full board list at ctlibrarians.org/board.
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AND THE AWARD GOES TO ... |
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At our membership meeting in June, CLC presented the 2021 Jan Gluz Cooperative Spirit Award to the SCSU Department of Information & Library Science and ILS Advisory Board. This award is given annually by the staff to honor a library leader who has actively promoted cooperation and cooperative projects among libraries and librarians in Connecticut. In 2008 it was named in honor of CLCs beloved bookkeeper/office manager Jan Gluz, who passed away in February of that year. Through this award her warmth, can-do attitude, and cooperative spirit live on.
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The CLC team unanimously voted to honor the SCSU ILS department/faculty and advisory board in recognition of their achievement in creating the only ALA-accredited ILS program in Connecticut. As is often the case, it is not just “what you do, but how you do it,” and the staff found much to admire about the team's efforts throughout the accreditation process: |
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- Redesigning and re-imagining librarian education in Connecticut to reflect the current and future needs of our profession
- Modeling how collaboration, cooperation and group effort can overcome challenges and achieve goals
- Giving time, talents and energy to make the library community in Connecticut stronger
Dr. Hak Joon Kim, Department Chair (pictured top); Alice Knapp, ILS Committee Chair (pictured adjacent); and several other members of the SCSU faculty accepted the award.
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FURNITURE INDUSTRY CHALLENGES
Jacqueline Cashin
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Hello! Its finally summer again! I hope you all are enjoying the long, warm days. For this article I wanted to talk to you about some significant challenges in the furniture industry that may affect your pricing when you shop for your library.
As you may know, the pandemic has impacted the supply chain, the cost of materials, and the availability of imported goods. With the shutdown of so many small businesses and suppliers, the costs and availability of basic items used in furniture manufacturing are affected in so many ways. There have been a number of events that have directly and indirectly impacted both the furniture industry and economy as a whole, such as rising costs on steel imports, plywood and core (flat packed furniture). There have been price increases and surcharges on materials from various suppliers, including base components, hardware, laminate, backer, adhesive, edgeband material, chemicals and corrugated shipping materials that come from origins all over the world.
Our furniture suppliers have attempted to do their best to manage these challenges internally through a series of increased plant efficiencies, cost-down measures and other activities. At this point, they can no longer accommodate all of the rising input costs and are forced to pass along modest increases. Under our contracts, this can be handled in two ways: suppliers can either raise all of their prices for the year, or place a temporary surcharge on items until the crisis is over. Our suppliers have opted for the latter, so you may see surcharges on your furniture purchases at this time.
To overcome some of the challenges of furniture purchasing, make sure you have a good plan for your space. Many of the CLC furniture suppliers have design services that are free or low cost to you. They can help you understand which brands are affected the most and find reasonable alternatives to keep your costs low and your project on track.
As always, CLC is here to help. As we navigate our way through these supply chain challenges, our strong relationships in the vendor community will assist our members to navigate uncertain waters and provide help where it’s needed most. We will get through this and eventually we hope that the supply chain will normalize. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your CLC team with any questions or concerns you may have.
Jacqueline Cashin, Vendor Relations Manager
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CLC MEMBERS IN MYSTIC: A GRAND SPECTACLE!
Amanda Stern
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In a recent article in the New York Times, Dr. Adam Grant opines that people “find our greatest bliss in moments of collective effervescence … the sense of energy and harmony people feel when they come together in a group around a shared purpose … and during this pandemic, it’s been largely absent from our lives.”
Well, we’ve missed you, friends. And while we’re happy we’ve been able to see you through the magic of Zoom, and we’ve always been just a phone call or an email away, it's been a long time since we were together in person. It’s time for some "collective effervescence!"
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A Spectacle in Motion:
The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World
Private exhibit viewing, gallery talk and reception
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Wednesday, August 4
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Mystic Seaport Museum
FREE
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Join CLC members from across the state for an exciting in-person opportunity! Our friends at Mystic Seaport Museum have invited us for an exclusive insider’s event to celebrate their exhibit A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World. You can get a preview of the exhibit here, but for the full effect, you'll want to join us on 8/4. Our CLC exclusive event will include:
- Special talk about the exhibit by Dr. Christina Brophy, PhD, Vice President of Curatorial Affairs at Mystic Seaport Museum
- Appetizers and beverages
- Exclusive access to the Panorama exhibition
- Presentation of Lewin Memorial Library Mystic Seaport Museum Memberships to 10 public libraries*
We hope you will join us for festivities and togetherness. This is a free event, open to staff of CLC member libraries and schools. Register at ctlibrarians.org/event/panorama.
*Public libraries, click here to enter to win a Mystic Seaport Museum membership!
Amanda Stern, Events & Special Projects Manager
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DISCOUNT HIGHLIGHTS
CLC has current offers on these products & services and many others. Please visit our website to learn more.
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11 databases
5,000 data sources
1 product for your business & consumer research needs
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Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA) is the premier source of business and residential information for reference and research, offering the most up-to-date data available in the market. Help users find jobs and business opportunities, conduct market research, track down addresses and phone numbers, and more. ORDER by 8/2
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Affordable digital content for schools - sharing means saving! |
The CLC Digital Co-op is a shared digital collection of K-12 eBooks and audiobooks, including many of the 2021 & 2022 Nutmeg titles. Any CLC member PreK-12 school or academic library can join the co-op and get access to the shared collection. By pooling together funding and sharing resources, schools can provide a large collection of titles at a low cost. ENROLLING NOW - ORDER BY 9/10
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Back in person for 2021!
CLC members save up to $200
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CLC members save up to $200 on registration for the IN-PERSON 2021 Internet Librarian Conference, to be held at the Monterey (CA) Marriott on October 26-28. Join your peers to learn, share, and celebrate the trends shaping the future of libraries. See where the information industry is going, and how to get there first. For librarians and information professionals of all types. Register by 9/24 for best savings.
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JobNow
VetNow
HelpNow
RENEW NOW
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Brainfuse JobNow, VetNow, and HelpNow product subscriptions end August 31. Look for your order/renewal opportunity coming very soon, or reach out to your CLC Member Relations Manager (Jen V. or Julie) to inquire. Meanwhile, promote your Brainfuse databases with free graphics and flyers!
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FURNITURE FEATURE
GET TO KNOW OUR FURNITURE VENDORS!
We're featuring 2 vendors each month until you've met all 26.
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Hertz Furniture
Leading national furniture dealer with 50+ years of experience and innovation
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Hertz Furniture is a national dealer based in nearby northern NJ. They have furnished thousands of schools, libraries, businesses, and municipalities, and have committed to offering CLC members top quality, competitively priced furniture along with excellent service, whether you're buying a single chair or furnishing an entire library. Hertz offers discounts on all products from Russwood, Waddel, and Global Furniture; savings on products from over 150 other quality manufacturers; plus complimentary space planning, design, and project management services. Virtually everything they sell comes with their limited lifetime warranty.
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JSI
Design-forward furniture with a commitment to environmental sustainability
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Jasper/JSI offers smart, flexible furniture products to help your users collaborate, learn, socialize and focus. Established in 1929 and based in Indiana, Jasper Group is the parent company to a family of furniture brands including JSI and Community. Recently, Jasper Group announced that they are uniting JSI and Community into one unified brand - JSI. All of the former Community and JSI products will be consolidated into the JSI catalog. Contact JSI for the latest products and price lists, and whenever you need sustainable, time-tested, design-driven, and high-quality seating, casegoods, and furniture products.
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ARE YOU OUR NEXT ROUNDTABLE CHAIR? |
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Are you passionate about library work? Do you enjoy talking with your colleagues about what’s going on in your library and sharing ideas for programs and services? Are you looking for a way to boost your organizational and leadership skills? If so, you may be our next roundtable chair!
It is no secret that serving as a CLC roundtable chair is a low-risk, high-support way to dip your toes into library leadership. And there’s never been a better time to join our ranks! We are looking for chairs (or co-chairs) for the following roundtables:
- Office Administrators
- Northwestern CT Library Directors
- New Directors
- Maker
- Library Fundraising and Development
- LGBTQ+
- Children’s Librarians (multiple)
If you are interested in exploring whether this opportunity would be a good fit for you, please contact Amanda Stern to learn more - astern@ctlibrarians.org. |
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ROUNDTABLE ROUNDUP
These are virtual meetings. Registration is required.
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Joint Social Justice & Adult Programming Roundtables |
Thursday, July 22 at 10:00am
PROGRESSIVE LIBRARY PROGRAMS
Lesley Williams, formerly of Evanston (IL) Public Library, was forced out of her library adult services job for pushing for accountability in equity and putting on programming that challenged the status quo. Lesley joins us to discuss her important case and teach you how to start implementing progressive programming that is anchored in equity and community building. For information about Lesley and her case, see this article.
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Department Heads & Supervisors Roundtable |
Friday, July 30 at 10:00am
FIRST MEETING!
Join us for the first meeting of our revitalized Department Heads and Supervisors Roundtable! This will be an informal meet and greet so we can see each other's faces, learn names, and generally get to know one another. We'll also brainstorm what some priorities for the roundtable might be, potential meeting/discussion topics, and what a sustainable meeting schedule will look like.
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Academic Library Roundtable |
Friday, July 30 at 2:00pm
PATRON PRIVACY
Join us for our next session as we discuss how to protect patron privacy through circulation, electronic records, and patron internet activity. The presentation will include the federal laws that may impact patron privacy in academic settings.
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Small Libraries
Roundtable
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Monday, August 2 at 10:00am
BFFs TO FRENEMIES: FRIENDS GROUPS IN THE LIBRARY
Join us for a discussion about Friends of the Library Groups. Come share your experience working with your Friends - what works well, what challenges can we help you think through, what questions do you have for your colleagues?
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Adult Programming Roundtable East |
Tuesday, August 3 at 10:00am
FALL & WINTER PROGRAMMING
What does your fall and winter programing calendar look like at your library? Will your programs stay virtual, or will people be gathering in your meeting rooms? Share your plans and ideas with fellow programming librarians.
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Fundraising & Development Roundtable |
Thursday, August 19 at 2:00pm
CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS
Sharon Danosky, President & Founder of Danosky & Associates, a nonprofit consulting firm, will join us to speak about capital campaigns for libraries that are looking to expand and complete renovations, or start new projects and initiatives.
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All are always welcome at CLC roundtable meetings, and that is especially true in this virtual environment! Regional groups and chairs may host and lead meetings, but attendance is not limited to people who live or work in the region. Please note that our meetings are not recorded. We look forward to seeing you on our screens soon! |
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