Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) Newsletter

Bulgarian Libraries
Interest Group Update
by Nancy Bolt, Chair
This year marked the first full year without the
federal ABLE grant. Activity in the Colorado partnerships
has become more routine and communication slightly
less frequent. However, good friendships and interest in
each other’s libraries continue. And there is much good
news to report about our ongoing impact.
First, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
(BMGF) chose Bulgaria for one of their Global Library
Planning Grants. Informal reports indicate that the
activities in the ABLE project and the success we had
contributed to the BMGF decision to give Bulgaria one of
these grants. The initial Planning Grant is for over
$600,000. Assuming they receive the implementation
grant, it will see one or more computers installed in over
1,200 Bulgarian libraries including peripheral equipment
and training for librarians and the public.
Ani Popova, the Bulgarian evaluator of the ABLE
grant, is a key member of the BMGF Global Libraries
Planning Grant. ULISO, the equivalent of the Bulgarian
Library Association, has changed its name to the
Bulgarian Library and Information Association (BLIA).
They elected Vanya Grashkina, the one of the Bulgarian
ABLE Project Directors, as their president for the next
three years. At least three other ABLE partner libraries
are represented on the new BLIA board.
One of the projects that BLIA wishes to take on
is the training included in the BMGF grant. The Bulgarian
American Credit Bank in Sofia, Bulgaria, decided to
liquidate part of its assets to form the American for
Bulgaria Foundation. One of their first grants was to the
Sofia Public Library’s American Corner for additional
construction on their facility. They also asked Nancy Bolt
to prepare a White Paper on Bulgarian libraries and their
needs and to include some ideas for future projects.
Rebecca Miller, the American evaluator on the ABLE
project, used her evaluation work to write her PhD
dissertation. She has published it now and it’s a
wonderful summary of the great success that ABLE had
AND a good list of how to make it better if we ever do it
again.
In November, I traveled to Bulgaria for the
bi-annual Globenet Conference sponsored by Emporia
State University and Sofia University. ABLE partner
librarians Vania Grashkina, President of BLIA and Radka
Koleva from Varna made presentations about their
library projects and I saw many old friends.
Finally, the British Consulate initiated a project
to train Bulgarian librarians in management. They
invited five Bulgarian librarians to Manchester, England
for training. All five are former ABLE partner librarians.
Our impact continues to grow.
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CAL members who want to participate in the Second
Life (or any) interest group should contact the CAL
office at: cal@cal-webs.org
7
CoPLA
Update
by Judy VanAcker, CoPLA
President
The CoPLA annual business (@ CAL) meeting
drew quite a crowd. New officers were introduced as
follows. Past President- Janine Reid; President - Judy
Van Acker (that would be me); Vice President - Claudine
Perrault; and Secretary - Luci Reimer.
At the meeting we asked the CoPLA members
these questions:
•What do you see as the greatest challenge at your
library?
•What are you hearing that is exciting or daunting in
libraryland?
We produced quite a list. Thank you! At the next CoPLA
board meeting your suggestions will be used to create
goals for 2009.
If you couldn't make the meeting you can access
the CoPLA Web site :
http://www.cal-webs.org/associations3.html
and email us your thoughts. Or, you can hunt us down
at ALA Midwinter and chat with us there.
Speaking of ALA Midwinter, don't' miss the
pre-conference entitled "The Transformational Powers of
the Library: Ensuring the Future of Your Library"
produced by CAL. What a great way to start off the year
by listening to the results of a fascinating study
(conducted by OCLC), and then having a spirited
discussion afterwards! You just may come up with some
novel New Year Resolutions. See you there!
#
Second Life continued
If you have not signed up for an account, visit
http://secondlife.com/, create an avatar, and download
the browser/viewer! It's free!
The interest group was formed to:
•explore new ways of doing digital outreach, networking
and public relations in order to promote Colorado and its
libraries (including but not limited to academic, public,
special, and school) on the virtual world of Second Life
•build a Colorado Association of Libraries presence on
Second Life through a new virtual library that will
represent the combined efforts of the Colorado libraries
and their library staff.
This new library, the "Sustainable Living Library"
on the sim Emerald City, will represent best practices for
living an ecologically conscious life.
Through virtual workshops, conferences, and
links to "green Web sites", the community of Second
Life, as well as real life patrons, will learn more about
their environment and how to save it.
The "Sustainable Living Library" will make
available to the community of Second Life the online
public access catalogs of Colorado libraries associated
with this new library and any programs or activities that
promote Colorado, its libraries, or CAL.