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Literary Maps from LC

Trying to find that pesky Yellow Brick Road in the land of Oz? How about trying to navigate through Neverland – a map would be helpful, wouldn’t it? Well those folks at the Library of Congress have a created a great publication for just such a task. Language of the Land: The Library of Congress Book of Literary Maps provides the reader with more than 230 literary maps covering everything from Tolkien’s Middle Earth to the London of James Bond.

The press release can be viewed at: http://lcweb.loc.gov/today/pr/1999/99-121.html

Fore! Newton Falls supports Friend’s Group with Golf Outing

Paul Tessler's Westgate Golf Center was the setting for the First Annual Newton Falls Public Library Benefit Golf Outing on August 22,1999. Participants included Library Staff, Library Board Members, Friends of The Library, significant others, and other family members.  Thirty-one NFPL supporters graced the greens for this year's festivities, raising $330.00 for the Library Children's Learning Center Building Fund. Lead organizer Jack Mullen feels that "this was a new type of fundraising event for the library, and one that provided loads of fun and fellowship while exemplifying the commitment of our internal community to expansion plans for future library programs and services."	Co-organizer Nick Koleszar feels that "Although it was organized on short notice, this year's turnout speaks very highly of the importance this community places on the education opportunities of its youth". Contests, included a Croquet-style putting contest; a chipping contest; longest drive and other challenges on the on the short holes course; as well as numerous awards for those who elected to play Putt-Putt. Some interesting prizes were awarded for the "ugliest golf shot", most "creative" golf outfit, and closest putt to the pin with Jack Mullen's putter (you need to see this to believe it). In all, twenty-four prizes were awarded after a barbecue dinner.

ESRI Livable Communities Grant Series - Public Libraries Grant Program

This grant provides public libraries with the software, hardware and training needed to establish Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs that facilitate the sharing of community information. In a library, GIS can be used to view street maps, digital aerial photographs, demographic data, or economic statistics. For example, citizens can find the location of a business or agency simply by typing in a street address. Students and researchers can display maps of their community using census data. Residents can view the location of utility lines within their property. GIS also can be used by library staff for planning purposes, such as determining the best location for a new branch library. If you’d like to know more about this grant opportunity or to invesitigate cooperative grant efforts please contact the Brad Stephens NOLA office.

Ohio ranks #1 in Great American Public Libraries HAPLR Ratings

Both the state of Ohio and NOLA members were well represented in the HAPLR ratings released this week. In national ratings of all fifty states, Ohio ranked first. Individual libraries in Ohio also fared very well collecting 23 of the 100 top library spots. Among the 23 Ohio libraries are two NOLA member libraries, Morley Library in Painsville and Kirtland Library. Congratulations to all of those listed in the ratings.

Want to read the entire story? http://ala8.ala.org/alonline/archive/hennen2.pdf - Requires Adobe Acrobat 4.0

Items submitted by:
Brad Stephens - Email
NOLA Regional Library System

Items submitted by:
Brad Stephens - Email
NOLA Regional Library System

13 Reasons Why Real Change is Difficult

Talk about change is frequent and cheap, but making it happen takes a lot more than talk! Managing serious change can be
much more difficult especially the way that non-profit organizations operate.

• Timing is Critical. Frequently, organizations try to change when it's too late. They may not be just floundering, but stuck in the mud, unable to move ahead;
• It is extremely difficult to manage change without outside help. Although there must be strong internal commitment to change, it is difficult to pilot change solely from the inside. The assistance of an objective outside facilitator may be needed to give credibility to the change process and to provide support and expertise;
• Serious assessment must be made as to what drives your organization. It is impossible to plan strategically for the future in you are not brutally honest with yourselves regarding where you are and where you want to be in the future.
• Key players in the organization must become champions for change. Leaders lead. Key decision makers and implementers must be actively involved with a true commitment to process and product;
• Determine early your capacity to implement change and willingness to make the necessary staff and volunteer changes. It makes no sense to go through the difficult process of trying to bring about change if there is an unwillingness to make necessary changes;
• Square pegs don't fit into round holes. The key to bringing about change is fitting the right person with the right job, from an ability and cultural perspective. Job matching, not job forcing, makes change work; 
• Communication with all people involved at al phases is essential. Worthwhile change takes time. It is not always easy. There are sharp disagreements, hurt feelings, bruised egos and wrong turns taken. Be honest with everyone involved about how difficult is is and emphatic about how important change is in your organization;
• Real change is more than smoke and mirrors. Serious change is more than new approaches to marketing or public relations. If a considerable investment in communicating change isn't made, everyone is confused;
• Real change takes courage. There must be change agents in the organization who take responsibility for making sure that there is commitment to the vision;
• Serious change requires critical thinkers. Value and protect your organization's change agents. They need to have time, energy and resources for planning and implementing change;
• Most people are uncomfortable with change. Allow people to acknowledge and express their feelings and apprehensions regarding change. There must be an understanding for all people who have a stake in the organization, but are anxious about changes;
• Change becomes the blame for the ills of the organization. Once you begin your change process, it becomes the scapegoat. What "was", no matter how dysfunctional it may have been, becomes yearned for;
• There must be the ability to let go. You cannot please everybody all of the time. Some will eventually move on.
  
  "Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine."
  Bumper Sticker
  
  Change is inevitable in any organization, especially as we plan for the next millenium. It can be exciting...but only if YOU make it so!

Items submitted by:
Lori Putt - Email
NOLA Regional Library System

Labor Day

A Day when the country honors those who labor hard and long. You know…Mothers. Specifically mothers-to-be. Beached whales. Preggers. Baby-factories. (Pregnant-lady terms of endearment.) Yeah right. Repeat any of them to a woman in her 3^rd trimester after 8 months of nausea and mood swings and she’ll "Labor Day" you!  But if you seriously want to learn more about Pregnancy, fertility and the joys of becoming a parent, visit Reflinks 618 for a nursery full of info on all aspects of procreation!

Items submitted by:
Reflinks Members [email protected]

NOLA Regional Library System
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Revised: 09/02/99 04:32:53 PM
URL: http://www.nolanet.org/tdn/issue173.htm