Adult Programming

Does anyone have multiple copies (about 100) of Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea" the YA version they are willing to loan to our local middle school? Is there a source for hooking up with libraries who have purchased multiple copies of town-wide reading books?

We just finished a successful "one book" project using Mark Salzman's The Soloist (not to be confused with the movie/book of the same name by Steve
Lopez.) The book deals with a former child prodigy who gets a musical block and can no longer concertize. During the book he begins teaching a gifted young Korean-American boy, goes on a murder trial of a Buddhist monk (this takes place in Calif.) and looks back at his life. Issues to talk about include raising gifted children, trials and juries, Buddhism, mental illness, and music. Almost everyone who read it said, "I wouldn't have picked it up but I really liked it." We have about 90 copies of the paperback book that we got from Westport CT and 2 copies of the audiocd, that could go to a library who would like to do this as a community wide read. I'd like to send out the entire set so some other town could read the book.

If you would like the set, email me and I'll send them in delivery.

Maggie Holmes
Adult Services
Richards Memorial Library
118 N. Washington St.
North Attleboro, MA 02760
508-699-0122
 

This month's discussion will focus on collaborative programming. Megan Allen, Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, will share her experiences in collaborating with a variety of other groups, including other city departments, non-profit service organizations, for-profit organizations and grassroots citizen groups.  She will tell us she has tried a little bit of everything and it pretty much all works! Be sure to bring your own experiences to share with the group along with information on any program that have been very successful for you in the past year.

Do any libraries collect sets of books for book discussions? If you do please reply to Madeline Miele Holt at MMieleHolt@easton.ma.us.

The ALA Public Programs Office is pleased to announce a new online resource to assist libraries of all types and sizes in creating cultural and community programs.  The Web site, ProgrammingLibrarian.org,  includes a resource library, live learning opportunities and a blog to keep librarians informed of upcoming opportunities and provide inspiration for new library programs. As the site continues to develop, users will find more resources, ideas, and opportunities to network with peers and programming experts.

The goal of ProgrammingLibrarian.org is to assist librarians in finding authoritative resources for cultural programming, train librarians in cultural programming techniques and involve library schools in examining the need for courses in cultural programming. In addition to finding ideas and resources, site users are welcome to contribute information and ideas from their own experiences in developing cultural programs for their communities. Live webinars will be held regularly to create not just a resource center, but a community of librarians committed to bringing increased access to literature, music, contemporary issues, art, history, poetry, scholars, writers and musicians to their communities.

Development of the site is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service to the ALA Public Programs Office, which fosters cultural programming as an integral part of library service.  In keeping with that mission, ProgrammingLibrarian.org offers librarians timely and valuable information to support them in the creation of high-quality cultural programs for their communities.  

Does anyone have any good ideas for adult programs to go along with this yeaar's summer reading there?

Since this is constantly changing I thought people would be interested in this article from Info Today on the legal ramifications around pictures taken at your libraries.

 www.infotoday.com/mls/sep08/Carson.shtml

Do you have a policy about paying for programming in your library? How do you decide when and how much you will pay program presenters?  Is your library curtailing programming because you can't afford the programs you have been offering?

On October 8th we'll have Jennifer Harris from the Plymouth Public Library and Karen Armand from the Ames Free Library in Easton as resource people to start of a dicsussion about the kinds of free programs their libraries are offering and their policies on paying speakers for library programs - then as usual we'll open the discussion up to whatever participants would like to share or discuss with the group. Please register at the address below or through the SEMLS event calendar if you plan to attend.

http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=SEMLS&curKey1=Continuing%20Education&setRef=new

Our library is thinking about offering a writer's workshop for adults once or twice a month. How do we go about finding a facilitator?

FYI, last year we purchased a blanket license from Motion Picture Licensing Corp. (http://www.mplc.com) because it was affordable, although it does not cover a lot of the big Hollywood studios. Of the studios covered, the only ones we've screened movies from are Sony Pictures Classics, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Buena Vista Pictures and Walt Disney Pictures. They charge us $385 per year for unlimited showings, which works out to be affordable for us. Even though we don't get huge crowds, this kind of programming doesn't require a great deal of staff effort, we get lots of little ones at the vacation week Disney screenings, and every year there are a handful of well-known new movies on DVD that attract adults (e.g. Little Miss Sunshine, Fast Food Nation, Notes on a Scandal (all 2007), The Namesake, The Simpsons Movie, etc.

The other major licensing company is Movie Licensing USA (http://www.movlic.com). They cover a lot more major studios but charge bucket loads more money. Instead, we pay them $75 a pop for the occasional movie from them that we want to screen.

I believe both companies adjust pricing to reflect the size of your community, so it never hurts to ask for a quote.

One thing to know is that neither company allows libraries to advertise the movie titles they're screening outside of the library (i.e. beyond your newsletter and your in-library posters).