PCBL 22nd Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon

This year PCBL and PaLA Trustee Division are jointly sponsoring the Opening Luncheon and PCBL Annual Meeting at the PaLA Centennial Conference on Sunday, October 14, 2001 at the Adams Mark Hotel in Philadelphia. This is PaLA's 100th celebration and promises to b e an exciting event. Dennis Leeper of Temple University and past President of PCBL, is the Annual Meeting Chair. PCBL award winners will be honored along with PaLA's Trustee of the Year. A special registration will be offered to Library Friends and Trustees.

In addition to the opening luncheon some special programs of interest to Friends and Trustees are planned for Sunday. These include a presentation by Steven L. Herb, Director of the PA Center for the Book at University Park, PA. Discover Pennsylvania's literary figures at this special preview of the "Literary Map of Pennsylvania." Glenn Miller, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Library Association and others will bring us up-to-date on legislative issues affecting libraries.

The day will end with an all conference reception to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Pennsylvania Library Association. The Free Library of Philadelphia will serve as host to Benjamin Franklin, premiere body artist "Peanut Butter", Philadelphia's great Doo-Wop ensembles and much more. Tour the noted Rare Book Department of the Free Library, and experience the treasures, stories and images from PaLA's first century. PaLA will present the prestigious Public Official Award and welcome several surprise guests.

On Monday Co-Authors Pat Ditzler and JoAnn Dumas will tell you "How to be a Book Sale Millionaire". Learn a systematic approach to proven book sale success with their "Book Sale Survivor Kit". There are many more great programs and the PaLA banquet, with prolific author, Judith Viorst as the Banquet speaker.

A special registration rate for Friends and Trustees for Sunday Is $35 which includes the luncheon, programs and the Centennial reception. A special Sunday/Monday registration rate of $85 covers both days events. The Centennial Banquet on Monday evening is an additional fee. Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan to join us in this celebration! Watch for a special mailing to all members of PCBL later this summer with registration details.

Call for Nominations for the Annual PCBL Awards

Nominations are requested for the annual awards that will be presented at the PCBL Annual Luncheon and Meeting at the Adams Mark Hotel in Philadelphia on Sunday, October 14, 2001. Award categories are:

State Legislative Day

Over 250 librarians, friends, trustees and many PCBL Board Members attended Pennsylvania Legislative Day in Harrisburg on April 24th. Briefings were held, visits made and information provided to most legislators. It was a highly successful day. Exhibits by library groups added information and visibility to library challenges. Legislators were supportive of Governor's Ridge's budget for libraries which includes a 13% increase in state aid to public libraries.

The newly published Legislative Directory produced by PCBL, PaLA and PSLA was available and eagerly sought after by many of those in attendance. ( NOTE: PCBL individual members may have one copy of the valuable resource free upon request. Affiliated Friends Groups will be sent one copy. Other copies may be ordered at $2.50 plus $1.50 postage).

The order form for the Legislative Driectory is printed in the paper version of this newsletter which is available on request from:

ACTION TAKEN AT MAY 11, 2001 BOARD MEETING

PCBL voted unanimously to support the following Principle adopted by the PA Library Association:

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE ON LOCAL DECISION-MAKING FOR PUBLIC USE OF THE INTERNET IN LIBRARIES

The Pennsylvania Library Association asserts that:

* Libraries and librarians are partners with parents, teachers, and local officials in working to help their residents become information literate. Librarians teach adults and children to access, evaluate, and wisely use all information resources, including the Internet.

* The education and nurturing of children has always been and continues to be a paramount mission at Pennsylvania's libraries.

* Pennsylvania's librarians deplore any misuse of library computers to access or display obscene materials found on the Internet.

* No local library policy in Pennsylvania supports access to or display of obscene materials in the library, either in print or on computers. Librarians conscientiously enforce their local policies.

* Under Pennsylvania law, every public library in Pennsylvania has adopted an Internet use policy that prohibits use of its computers by minors to access materials that contain or make reference to explicit sexual materials as defined in the law.

* Under Pennsylvania law, library policies (including access to the Internet) are the responsibility of local community library boards and professionally trained librarians.

* Local library boards are made up of dedicated Pennsylvania citizens who unselfishly volunteer their time, talent, energy, and sound judgment. These individuals are in the best position to set local library policies for the communities they serve.

* The fact that Pennsylvania's locally adopted policies have resulted in infrequent occurrences of abuse or illegal use of the Internet demonstrates that:
1) Pennsylvania's librarians and trustees are performing their jobs conscientiously;
2) Libraries are responsive to local community needs; and
3) Technology and management techniques are working effectively. These techniques may include: providing Internet training for children, adults and families; creating lists of recommended web sites for all ages; placing computers in public view and adjacent to staff areas for ease of supervision and assistance; requiring parental permission for Internet access; and selective use of filtering or site blocking software.

Therefore, the Pennsylvania Library Association strongly supports the authority of Pennsylvania's local library boards to determine the appropriate measures for educating and responding to the needs of citizens in their communities. Further, the Pennsylvania Library Association opposes action by the state or federal government to override the respected tradition of responsible and effective decision-making at the local level.

State Aid to Public Libraries Increase Approved

Thanks to Governor Ridge and a very successful legislative day and lobbying efforts by the library community the proposed 2001-2002 budget announced by Governor Tom Ridge on February 6, 2001, was adopted on June 21 by the State Legislature and signed by Governor Ridge. It includes the following.

Appropriation	2000-2001	2001-2002	% Change
State Aid to Public Libraries	$62,289,000	$75,289,000	+20.87%
Library Services for Visually Impaired & Disabled	$2,879,000	$2,965,000	+2.99%
Library Access	$7,171,000	$7,386,000	+3.00%
School Library Catalog	$4,042,000	$4,042,000*	+0.00
State Library Operations	$4,212,000	$4,295,000***	+1.98%
Library Related:
Read to Succeed	$25,000,000	$25,000,000	+0.00
Adult & Family Literacy	$17,979,000	$19,707,000**	+9.61%

*Last year's increase, originally planned as a one-year expansion, has been continued into a second year of significant funding.
**This includes expansion of family literacy summer reading programs to 25 additional counties.
***This is a decrease from the proposed $4,300,000 due to an across the board decrease to all state agencies operating budgets.

The First PCBL Friends Institute

Over 80 friends and others attended the first PCBL Friends Institute "Friends Make a Difference" on June 2, 2001. Participants gave rave reviews in their evaluations and indicated that they would like to see the Institutes repeated each year in different locations. Tentative plans are for a similar institute to be held next year in the western part of the state. Since we receive many requests for a variety of workshops, read about our newest offering below.

Fundamentals of Fund Raising
(A Pilot Workshop Sponsored by PCBL)

Saturday, October 6, 2001, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Bellwood Antis Public Library, Bellwood, PA (About ten minutes north of Altoona on I-99)

Libraries are increasingly being asked to do more with less. Yet, local tax dollars to do the job are getting tighter every day. So how do we meet all those growing demands for new services, technology, programs and, most impo9rtantly, new or renovated buildings? Private fund-raising may be the only answer. And for smaller, rural libraries, in greater amounts than can be normally raised through book sales, car washes or house tours. But how do library novices begin?

This intensive, six-hour course will provide you with the strategies, tips, techniques and principles that professional fund-raisers use to secure private donations for capital library needs. Come and learn the "how's" and "why's" of:

The essentials of a feasibility study. How to prepare a "reverse timetable" How to set a realistic goal. How to ask for money. The "80% - 20% rule. Preparing a "case statement." Preparing a campaign budget. Soliciting the big gift. Preparing grant and foundation proposals. Establishing a bequest program. Raising money to raise money. When to hire a professional fund-raiser.

This course will be open to all Friends, Trustees, Library Directors and System or District ?Consultants. Attendance is limited to 40 registrants. Registration fee is $25 per person and includes a continental breakfast, breaks, lunch and a course manual. All registrations must be received by September 20, 2001. Write to John Fordon, Treasurer, PCBL @ 515 Kevin Court, Camp Hill, PA 17011-1263 for registration application.

Depending on the response to this program, other workshop s may be offered on a fee basis to cover expenses.