2014 OLA Conference

As most of you know, the Oklahoma Library Association’s annual conference was held in Tulsa earlier this month. There was food, fun, and more library-related information than you can shake a stick at. It was delightful. For those of you that weren’t able to attend this year however, the four librarians from DN that went would like to share some of the highlights. The following were our favorite sessions of the conference. Enjoy! 

Not your Grandpa’s Comic Books

Some of you might not know this, but I love comics.  In my own personal collection I have possibly about 5000 comics.  I’ve been collecting them for a few decades now, so I was pretty happy about seeing a session dedicated to comics.  Getting in the session was another matter, it was packed and I was forced to sit on the floor in the back!  Cataloging’s own Clyde Herrod was on the panel as they discussed selection, cataloging, housing and controversies in library graphic novels collections.  I think I was most intrigued when they started discussing where library’s housed their graphic novel collections.  When MLS first started getting more graphic novels in the system I thought it would be best if they were all located in one place so that it would be easier for the customer to find and I still think that way (except for the graphic novels that are obviously for younger children), but there are a few that are shelved in the adult fiction section, distinguished by a graphic novel sticker on its’ spine.  All in all it was an interesting and crowded session.

Kimberly Ann Edwards  

Legal Forms e-Filing Headed Your Way! 

The presenter for this session was Frank Holdsclaw, Program Manager, Administrative Office of the Courts, Supreme Court of Oklahoma.  Mr. Holdsclaw described the ongoing Electronic Filing (e-Filing) Project of his office.  From his slideshow, "The purpose of the presentation is to advise the general public of the current state of the e-Filing and related projects in the district and appellate courts of Oklahoma." You can view the rest of the presentation here:

The project will take about three years to complete; the Rules for Electronic Filing in the Oklahoma Courts were approved in June of 2012. The project process will roll out county by county, the first three pilot counties being Noble, Logan, and Kay. 

Sharon Bish

2015 Sequoyah Masterlist

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 2014 OLA Annual Conference. I had a wonderful time attending workshops, listening to speakers, and networking with librarians and library staff from around the state. While all of the workshops I attended were valuable and informative, I most enjoyed the 2015 Sequoyah Masterlist presentations.

The various Sequoyah presentations were led by the Sequoyah Awards Committee Chairs and reading team members. In each session I got to listen to brief book talks for the 2015 Masterlist titles and other books that did not quite make the cut. The panel of presenters also reviewed the main themes of each title and discussed what children and teens note liking best about the Masterlist books. Many presenters also highlighted how librarians and school media specialists might apply various titles to media literacy lessons. I've already started reading Freaky Fast Frankie Joe and The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy based on the fantastic descriptions given at OLA. I've also been inspired to read the 1967 Sequoyah Children's Award Winner, Harriet the Spy. Since I more than likely won't be able to read every book on the Children's, Intermediate, and High School Masterlists, I was thrilled to attend these sessions. I now feel better equipped to serve our young customers and am excited to have gained a deeper knowledge of our collection.  

To learn more about the 2015 Masterlists check out the following link: http://www.oklibs.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=109  

Jessica L. Gonzalez 

Getting Kids in Your Library 

While I went to several interesting sessions and learned many interesting things at OLA, my favorite session was Getting Kids in Your Library.  The main presenter, Maureen Goldsberry, was very lively and entertaining and even when she wasn’t completely sure of some new-fangled fad the kids are into, she still managed to give pretty interesting descriptions of them (“just because you put gears on jewelry, that doesn’t make it steampunk!”).  She started by talking about some of the interesting things that people are doing to get kids into the library, like Steampunk, but also LARPing (Live Action Role Playing), RPGs (role playing games), and Cosplay (a combination of the words “costume” and “play”). Interestingly, many activities you do with these allow kids to dress up.

Another idea she suggested was a guerilla story time.  It’s more of an outreach type of thing because you go out into the community and then, “Boom, you’re in a story time!” as she put it. The following are the three web sites she said were the best for ideas about how to do a guerilla story time:

• http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/?p=4874
• http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/07/guerrilla-storytime-ideas-advocacy-at.html
• http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2013/06/ala2013-guerrilla-storytime-takes-over-the-uncommons/ 

Other things she talked about were how science and math programs are becoming a bigger thing in library programming and she shared an idea for a Create Your Own Zombie program using old, broken Barbie dolls and doll parts. 

After she finished, the main speaker introduced Jamie Hale, a librarian from the Norman Public Library who give ideas for a Doctor Who program.  She said that at NPL they put on a Doctor Who program in the fall complete with Doctor Who themed snacks, costumes, games, and prizes. She prepared for as many as a hundred people to show, and in the end 400 people came to the program. Here are links to pictures from the program and an article in Norman Magazine:

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsyk/sets/72157636302990546
• http://issuu.com/norman-magazine/docs/norman-janfeb2014/77?e=8125288/6225421

She has lots of good ideas and information available for anyone else interested in putting on a Doctor Who program, so if you’re interested let me know. 

At the end of the session a gentleman from the audience, who it seems was an administrator of some sort, gave a parting suggestion regarding programming.  He said that when you get people to a program, it’s important to try to get them to return to the library within the next few days and offer them a service.  The suggestion he gave to achieve that was to hand out something like a coupon that can only be redeemed within three days at the library or a ticket to enter into a drawing or something. The gentleman in the audience said that the top two services people get from the library are access to the building and access to the books. Make sure they come back for a service.

Sheldon Beach