| April 2002 | Volume 4 Number 2 |
The New Digital Library Advisory Board
William Sullivan, Administrator, Connecticut Digital Library
The new Connecticut Digital Library Advisory Board (CDLAB) was formed and met for the first time on February 6. The members of the Board and their membership categories are:
Academic Librarians: David Bretthauer, Homer Babbidge Library, UCONN/Storrs and Samuel Brown, Albertus Magnus College.
Public Librarians: Alan Benkert, Groton Public Library and Cheryl Beturne, Enfield Public Library
School Librarians: LuAnn Cogliser, Watertown High School and Jenifer O'Connor, Sarah Noble Intermediate School, New Milford
Librarian, Other: Edward Murray, Libraries Online, Inc. (LION)
Business Community or Library User: Alfred Hopkins, Jr., ACES
Teacher (School or College): Jim Smith, Naugatuck Valley Community College
Parent of K-12 Student: Alana Meloni, C. H. Booth Library, Newtown
Student (School or College): Unfilled
State Department of Education: Betty Goyette
Commission for Educational Technology: Unfilled
Permanent Members: Kendall Wiggin, CSL and Jonas Zdanys, Department of Higher Education
The Board elected Alfred Hopkins, Jr, and Jenifer O'Connor to be Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. Anita Barney (Executive Director, Western Connecticut Library Council) is serving as liaison between the CDLAB and CLSUs. The Board also established two subcommittees, one focused on Database Selection (coordinated by Sharon Brettschneider) and one focused on Public Awareness (coordinated by Bill Sullivan). The directory of CDLAB members, Bylaws, and subcommittee members is located online. The next meeting of the Board will take place on Wednesday, May 1, 2002, at 1:00 p.m. at the Middletown Library Service Center.
A 124-page iCONN Training Manual was completed and delivered to the Regional Educational Service Centers for their use in training library media specialists from public K-12 schools. It was developed by Patricia Lord Clark (formerly, library director of Miss Porter's School) under contract with CSL and pursuant to an agreement between the State Library and the Connecticut Alliance of Regional Educational Service Centers. The entire manual can be downloaded from iCONN. For a snapshot view of the manual, the table of contents can be downloaded separately. Also available from the same location is a brochure developed by Betty Goyette (State Department of Education) entitled, 10 Big Ideas for using iCONN to increase the challenge level for students.
The RESC Spring training schedule and registration information has been posted online ("Statewide Training Program - Public Schools"), and was also published in the CLSU and CEMA monthly newsletters and CEMA-L listserv. Each class is open on a statewide basis. There is a nominal registration fee and CEUs are granted. A summary of the iCONN Training Workshops being offered from March through May is given below:
Location: ACES (Hamden)
March 12 and 14, 2002 (4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
May 23, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)Location: CREC (Hartford)
March 6, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - Noon)
March 6, 2002 (12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)Location: EASTCONN (Hampton)
April 1, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)Location: CES (Trumbull)
May 29, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)Location: LEARN (Old Lyme)
March 9, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
May 9, 2002 (9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
According to the latest statistics, more than a million searches were conducted in iCONN from July 2001 to March 2002. There are two sections within the iCONN home page to publish testimonials and cost savings reports submitted by libraries. View the testimonials site, and the Cost Savings/Budget Impact site. These sites are very helpful in revealing how libraries and schools are using iCONN, and iCONN's local impact.
Articles published (or submitted for publication) about iCONN have been listed under "Articles" in About iCONN and in Support Materials. Among four articles listed are articles by library media specialists Muriel Gaynor and Janet Leonberger from West Hartford Public Schools and by library media specialist Jane Tonn from Middletown High School.
