Budget Woes

This week has brought interesting news about library budgets across the state.

Chattanooga and Hamilton County have split, with the public library now being solely funded by the city. Residents of Hamilton County that do not live in the city limits will have to pay to get a library card. The libraries in Memphis are cutting hours and all of their part-time staff, with remaining staff getting a pay cut. Many smaller public libraries are facing budget cuts, and more school librarians are being shifted around.

If your library is facing budget trouble, and you need support or ideas, please contact TLA. We have advocacy resources, contacts with other state and national organizations, and want to help.

Libraries are too important to disappear quietly.

NMRT is a go!

One of the things discussed at the August Board Meeting was the proposed New Members Round Table for TLA. I am happy to report that it passed!

A new member is defined as someone who's been in TLA for 10 years or less. People joining TLA for the first time will automatically be members of NMRT for their first year, free of charge.

The group who worked on the bylaws nominated Sue Maszaros of Belmont University to be the chair of this round table this year, with Jennifer Novia serving as vice chair. I know they'll both bring good ideas and energy to the inaugural year of NMRT!

Teen Read Week

This year, the Children’s and Young Adult Roundtable of the Tennessee Library Association is partnering with the Tennessee State Library and Archives to present a statewide Teen Read Week Program.   

Teen Read Week is October 16^th-22^nd and the Tennessee Teen Read Week Theme is “A MidSummer Knight’s Read”.  You could incorporate fairy tales, history, or Shakespeare and it makes a great teaser for the 2012 Teen Summer Reading Program: “Own the Night”. 

There is a catch: libraries who participate must commit to promoting, planning, and presenting a Teen Read Week program which will consist of:

• An arts/craft program, book club, game event or other teen activity centered on the theme

or

• A Reading Contest

Participating libraries will receive a starter kit of supplies, which include giveaways, posters, tattoos, etc. and the C-YA Roundtable will present a webinar soon that will present ideas for Teen Read Week programs, books, crafts, reading contests and more!

 

Stay tuned to the TLA Listserv for more information.  Contact Lindsey Wesson if you have any questions.  Or just comment below and I'll holler across the hall at her....