Book discussions are, of course, a focus. The library offers book-related events for kids, teens, and adults:

• The Super Stories book discussion group for grades K–2 will discuss “Learn about Your Library,” a fun program that will teach young learners about the materials available in the library and the services the library offers to this age group.

• The Book Snackers book discussion group for grades 3–5 will discuss Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary. Young readers will be able to share their favorite parts of the book and make some new friends.

• The Somewhere in Time history-themed book club for adults will discuss The Murder of King Tut: the Plot to Kill the Child King by James Patterson.

• The Better off Read book club for adults will discuss The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.

• The Books and Chocolate program for teens encourages teens to bring a favorite book and share it with friends.

For those more visually oriented, Dexter offers movies in September:

• Muffins & Movies presents a variety of current and older major motion pictures for adults and seniors.

• Friday Night at the Movies shows a variety of current major motion pictures.

For those who prefer to listen, the library also offers musical events:

• In honor of Grandparents Day, the Hudson Education Center will present the first annual Grandparents Day Musical Showcase, featuring seventh-grade musicians from Mill Creek Middle School (plus a special guest).

• Violinist Maria Bessmeltseva, a Russian-born violinist, will perform classical music. From an early age, Bessmeltseya performed in St. Petersburg concert halls such as Glinka Philharmonic Chamber Hall and St. Petersburg State Capella. She represented the University of Michigan in The Conservatory Project in Washington, D.C., performed at the Kennedy Center on the Millennium Stage, and performed in New York’s Carnegie Hall with the University of Michigan orchestra.

A variety of programs are offered just for fun:

• Adults and teen can bring their own knitting or needlecraft project and make new friends at the Sip ’n Stitch drop-in program for adults and teens.

• Ages eight and older can challenge each other in a drop-in session of Nintendo Wii Sports (snacks also provided).

• Chef Ming Louie will show attendees how to make authentic Chinese egg rolls at the “Making Egg Rolls with Ming!” program.

• “Mother Goose” (AKA Trudy Bulkley) will present an all-ages program featuring favorite stories and nursery rhymes as well as refreshments.

The library also offers programs of a more practical nature:

• A college fair for teens and parents will address getting into college, paying for college, writing admissions essays, taking admissions exams, and joining college clubs and activities as well as general college information. Cassie J. Olson, Ann Arbor Kaplan Testing Center director; John B. Boshoven, author of From Chaos to Control: A Guide for Students and Families for Solving the College Admissions Puzzle and counselor for continuing education at Community High School in Ann Arbor; Jenni Marsh, founder of College Bound; and a panel of current university students discussing campus life will be available for questions.

• Julie and Louis Nagel will present “Overcoming Performance Anxiety,” a look at the psychological issues that may affect performing and public speaking. Louis Nagel will perform a Beethoven piece on piano after the presentation.

• “Investing Fundamentals,” the first program in a fall series on investing, will give an overview of common elements of financial markets as well as basic fundamentals for investing.

• The Michigan Chapter of SCORE, a nationwide organization of businessmen and women who volunteer their services to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs, will present “The Fundamentals of Starting Your Own Business.” SCORE representatives will offer support and counseling to area business owners.

What programs does your library have on the agenda for fall?

General Resources

iLoveLanguages features more than 2,400 links to online foreign language resources, including information on online language lessons, translating dictionaries, native literature, translation services, software, and language schools.

Westfield State University Ely Library offers a number of links to online resources, including dictionaries, specific languages, how to teach languages, linguistics, and literature.

Duke University Libraries offers a number of links to resources for teaching foreign languages.

Library Programming

Although not specific to Learn a Foreign Language Month, the following libraries offer a number of ideas for low-cost programming and partnerships you can use to celebrate at your library.

In 2009, the D.C. Public Library partnered with the Global Language Network, a nonprofit language services provider, to offer free foreign language lessons at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial branch. The program featured weekly, two-hour classes on Farsi, Spanish, and Russian.

The Baldwin Public Library (PDF) collaborated with EarlyBirds Learning, a play-based immersion program for children ages one through five, to offer Spanish-language lessons for kids.

Naperville Public Library (PDF) also offered foreign language learning opportunities for younger children, partnering with native speakers from Language Stars to provide thirty-minute, interactive FunImmersion programs with books, songs, and activities conducted entirely in French, German, Italian, Mandarin, or Spanish.

The Bezazian branch of the Chicago Public Library offers a Vietnamese/English bilingual family story time for children ages six to thirteen years that includes songs and rhymes followed by a craft activity.

The Fletcher Free Library hosts a number of twice-monthly conversation groups for those who wish to practice their French, Japanese, German, Russian, or Spanish.

The Houston Public Library also offers conversational groups for Hindi, German, and Spanish, as well as beginning Chinese and Spanish classes.

Full-time position available. Mount Prospect Public Library is seeking an energetic, creative, forward-looking and enthusiastic Teen librarian to design and provide services for patrons in grades 6 through 12. Duties include community outreach, program development, collection development and staffing a popular materials desk serving both adults and teens. Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited institution is required. Experience in public service. Experience working with teen populations. Benefits. $43,602 annual salary.

See the Mount Prospect Public Library website for job description and how to apply.

Responsible for providing children’s programming, including storytimes, puppet shows, storytelling, crafts, school age programs and other age-related programming. Documentation of programming experience at interview desirable. Duties include providing reader’s advisory/information services to children and their caregivers, school visits, library tours, development of reading lists. English/Spanish a plus.

REQUIREMENTS: ALA accredited MLS degree with two (2) years post MLS library or related experience; specialized subject knowledge of children’s services early childhood literacy education. Eligible for or hold South Carolina State Library certification; a valid South Carolina driver’s license with a safe driving record. Salary Range: $39,249.60–$48,256.00, depending on qualifications. Pay Grade 06EX.

In order to consider your application complete, submit a letter of application, resume, THREE (3) LETTERS OF REFERENCE, and grade transcripts. Submit all information to:

Human Resources Manager
Charleston County Public Library
68 Calhoun Street
Charleston, SC 29401

The Library Services Manager plans, coordinates and manages the operations, programs and services of the Central Library and serves as the collection development manager for the library system. This includes 25.75 FTE staff and has a budget of $3.7M. The duties of the Library Services Manager include the following: supervise professional and clerical staff, develop and implement library policies and procedures; manage division budget, operations and staffing in order to fulfill program objectives and user needs. Under the direction of the Library Director, the Library Department is comprised of two operating divisions, Public Services and Support Services. With the equivalent of 39.25 FTEs and approximately 50 hourly employees, the Library Department circulates more than 1.5 million items annually and achieves more than 60,000 youth contacts annually. The Library Department provides a broad range of library services to residents of the City of Santa Barbara and to county residents through branch libraries in Carpinteria, Goleta, Montecito, Solvang, Los Olivos and Santa Ynez.

To be considered for this exceptional career opportunity, submit application and completed supplemental questionnaire to:

City of Santa Barbara
Human Resources
P.O. Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102

Email: HR@Santabarbaraca.gov. Website: www.SantaBarbaraca.gov. (805) 564-5316. FAX: (805) 897-1905.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: ALA-accredited Masters Degree in Library Science (or MLIS), with one to four years of related experience including up to two years of experience in leading or supervising others, or a combination of education, training, and experience which would lead to the competencies required. Demonstrated strong competencies in information literacy instruction and reference service.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Asnuntuck Community College is seeking a creative, innovative, experienced Information Literacy Librarian, with superior teaching/presentation skills, outstanding web/online skills and excellent office and library technology skills to lead campus information literacy efforts. Desired qualifications include experience in designing, developing, implementing, teaching and assessing college/university information literacy programs, classroom based and online.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The successful candidate will report to the Director of Library Services and will provide a full spectrum of Librarianship. The IL librarian will work closely with faculty in designing, developing and teaching information literacy in the classroom and online. In addition the IL librarian will participate in reference service, circulation service and collection management, supervise work study student employees and other duties as may be assigned.

MINIMUM SALARY: $56,057 approximate annual plus medical insurance, retirement and related State fringe benefits.

Academic Year 2010-2011 Appointment (Temporary, Full-Time—35 hours per week)

ANTICIPATED STARTING DATE: October 2010

TO APPLY: Send a letter of intent, resume, and names of three (3) references to:

Ms. Joyce Catania
JOB CODE: ISLIB
Asnuntuck Community College
170 Elm Street
Enfield, CT 06082
Fax 860-253-3069
Or email AS-HR-AcademicAffairs@acc.commnet.edu

Visit ACC’s website.

Asnuntuck Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, M/F. Protected group members are strongly encouraged to apply.

Description: Under administrative direction of the County Administrative Officer, this at-will Department Head is responsible for the overall administration and management of all library activities throughout the County library system, which includes six branches and one community/school library. Responsible for planning, organizing and reviewing library services and programs for patrons of all ages. Develops and monitors the budget. Prepares grants and obtains funding. Builds community coalitions. Markets library services and performs community outreach activities.

Qualifications: Master’s degree in Library Science from a graduate school accredited by the American Library Association. Four years of supervisory or administrative professional library experience. Demonstrated knowledge of principles and practices of public administration, including county government and of the laws applicable to library service in this state. Valid California Driver’s License.

Salary Range: $78,000–$101,400 annually. Excellent benefits including fully paid PERS 2% @ 55. Fully paid medical benefits which include health/dental/vision/chiropractic care/mental health. $50,000 term/life insurance, long term disability insurance and an additional 48 hours of management vacation every fiscal year.

How to Apply: Apply online or contact Kings County Human Resources at 559-582-3211, extension 2510, for a hard copy application. (You may attach a current resume, but not in lieu of completing the application). Contact: Kings County Human Resources (559) 582-3211 ext. 2510 or visit our website.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Associate University Librarian for Public Services. The VCU Libraries seeks a creative, energetic, and experienced leader to join its senior leadership team in overall management of VCU’s library system at a time of exciting change for VCU and the VCU Libraries. The successful candidate will develop, oversee, and stimulate innovation and creativity in library service and outreach programs supporting a very large and diverse public, urban research university community, including undergraduate and graduate education and faculty investigators committed to research enterprise. As part of the VCU Libraries senior administrative team, the incumbent will engage broadly in all aspects of operating and growing a major research university library system. The successful candidate will join a culturally and academically diverse faculty of the highest caliber.

Requires ALA-accredited graduate degree or accredited advanced degree in a related discipline, and at least 7 years experience in increasingly responsible administrative and management positions with an academic research library system. Salary commensurate with experience. Review of applications will begin September 30, 2010, and will continue until the position is filled.

Additional information, preferred qualifications, and application procedures are available in the complete vacancy announcement.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Email mccolgankh@vcu.edu to apply for this job.

Job Description: Library faculty member to plan, implement, and assess library instruction, information literacy training, and educational programming.

Duties: Develop and implement information literacy training and educational programming on campus and online. Oversee Information Research and Resources course. Reference and research assistance, along with other professional librarian duties, as assigned. View complete job description.

Required: ALA-accredited degree. Experience and/or training in information literacy instruction in an academic setting. Proficiency with instructional technologies, social media, and library assessment tools related to instruction.

About Regent: Regent University is an academic center for Christian thought and action with over 70 undergraduate and graduate programs available worldwide. Our mission is to provide an excellent education from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world.

To apply: Complete the official Regent University Application and submit with cover letter, vita, Statement of Christian Faith, and copy of transcripts to Bonnie McDowell, bonnmcd@regent.edu. Review of applications begins October 15, 2010.

The Sara Jaffarian Award was established in 2006 to recognize and promote excellence in humanities programming in elementary and middle school (K-8) libraries. It is presented annually by the Public Programs Office, in cooperation with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), and named for Sara Jaffarian, whose donation to ALA’s Cultural Communities Fund established the award. Jaffarian, a retired school librarian and long-time ALA member, spent her career passionately advocating for school libraries in every school. Find out more about the Sara Jaffarian award. Applications for the 2011 Jaffarian Award will be accepted September 1, 2010–December 15, 2010.

Barbara Ungar is the Library Media Teacher at Central Elementary School in Wilmette, Illinois. Her program, Central School Third Grade Virtual Museum—A Day in the Neighborhood, won the 2007 Jaffarian Award.

Programming Librarian: Please briefly describe your school library’s humanities program. Why did you decide to put the program up for consideration for the Jaffarian Award?

Barbara Ungar: Our program was an outgrowth of our third grade social studies curriculum with the focus on learning about Chicago. We wanted the students to understand how Chicago was built through immigration and the growth of ethnic communities. Each of our five sections of third grade visited and learned about a different community/neighborhood within the city of Chicago. The students had a primary source research experience in the neighborhood, visited a local history museum with relevant information, and used other resources to create a web page as part of our virtual museum about Wilmette, Chicago, and Illinois. They compared each neighborhood to the others as well as their own community and drew conclusions about similarities and differences between the neighborhoods. We also utilized our art, music, and library programs to further incorporate knowledge and understanding about these five cultures. Our results can be viewed at the Grade 3 Virtual Museum Project website.

PL: What were some challenges that you encountered during your library’s humanities program? How did you overcome them?

BU: We needed a lot of coordination between our staff. There were eight teachers involved with the librarian acting as the project coordinator. We needed to secure in-school planning time through our administration. We also wanted community involvement and used our PTA to help us find members of our school community with the ethnic backgrounds we were studying so that they could visit the classes and help us with stories, food, and artifacts. Financing was also a challenge and we applied for several grants to help us with this. Local businesses were approached and one even provided all the bus services that we needed to transport the students to all our primary source research opportunities. Doing something of this magnitude might have been disruptive if we had not found a way to integrate this totally with existing curriculum thus establishing a better "buy-in" from all the teachers and administration.

PL: What do you think set your program apart from all the other 2007 Jaffarian applicants?

BU: Not knowing what the other applicants submitted, I would guess it was the fact that all this was coordinated through the library/librarian (so the library was the stimulus and the main focus of the project). I also think it was a unique way of delivering curriculum for all the departments.

PL: How does your school library plan to use the $4,000 award?

BU: We have used this to develop another humanities program for our second grade students. The students have become "museum curators" for Native American regional tribes. We purchased artifacts from different regions, brought in Native American storytellers, taken them to local museums to view existing collections, purchased CDs and DVDs to help them learn about the Native American traditions and use of natural resources to understand indigenous cultures. They use this information to create a catalog and Native American tale for their regional study.

PL: Do you have any advice for prospective Jaffarian Award applicants?

BU: Don't give up. Be creative. Get the support of your principal before you start. Follow all the directions in the application.

Launched in 2005, the Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens, and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books that are relevant to their lives. All types of libraries (public, school, academic, and special) located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply for a Great Stories Club grant. Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnership include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofit organizations serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, shelters serving homeless and runaway youth, and other agencies. Tips for creating a partnership:

• Gather a list of potential community partners, and decide which agency to approach. If you are not familiar with the agencies in your community that serve troubled teens, consult the yellow pages or the Internet. You may wish to search for local social service agencies, the department of juvenile justice, the department of children and family services, or any area alternative schools.
• Once you’ve selected a potential community partner, identify a contact person at the facility, keeping in mind who the players are and what the politics may be like. Possible contacts include directors, teachers, librarians, supervisors, counselors, and so on. There may be a Friends of the Juvenile Hall group that may be of help, a board member at your library who volunteers at a local shelter or social service agency, a reading teacher at an alternative school, or another person who can help make your case within the organization.
• Depending on what your research has yielded, speak with the contact you’ve identified. Potential partners may be interested to know that, by participating in the Great Stories CLUB, they will be part of a national teen services initiative of the American Library Association that is being supported by Oprah’s Angel Network.
• Present your contact with a clear and simple proposal describing the program and activities you would like to implement.
• Work with your contact to create a workable program plan, taking into consideration such factors as institutional procedures (security clearance, authorization, and so on).

Electronic applications for the reading and discussion series will be accepted September 13 through November 19. Following the application process, 150 libraries will be selected to develop a book discussion program for teens based on the three theme-related titles and will be given copies of the books to share with each participant. Participating libraries will also receive access to an online toolkit to support the program, including sample discussion questions, recommended titles for further reading, and other resources. Small cash grants ($100–$200) will be awarded to as many as twenty-five sites for the support of program-related expenses.

For more information on the Great Stories CLUB, including guidelines, book descriptions and application instructions, visit the Great Stories CLUB pages.

We are seeking a creative and dynamic team member who can think outside the box to head the Youth Services Department of our independent, municipal public library. Our active Youth Services program is recognized as one of the best in West Virginia.

REQUIREMENTS: MLS from an ALA accredited school and at least five years of experience in youth services, including supervisory experience. This person must work well with all types of people, but especially children, and must be able to supervise a small staff. The successful applicant must have extensive knowledge of child development and children’s literature and must have experience developing programs that will appeal to youth of all ages.

This person must be knowledgeable about current trends affecting children’s programming. Skill in written and oral communications, in the use of basic Microsoft software, and in use of social networking technologies is a must.

Some evening and weekend work is required. This position requires bending, stooping, reaching, and lifting up to 50 pounds.

For a complete job description, including salary range, visit www.southcharlestonlibrary.org.

To apply, send a resume with three professional references, as soon as possible, to:

Jennifer Soule, Director
South Charleston Public Library
312 4th Avenue
South Charleston, WV 25303