Manitoba Libraries Conference 2014

Winnipeg, Manitoba

 May 12-14, 2014

 Theme: Unlimited Potential

The Manitoba Libraries Conference Program Committee is pleased to invite members of the library, archival, museum, records management, and educational communities to submit proposals for the Manitoba Libraries Conference, May 12 – 14, 2014 at the Delta Winnipeg

Libraries in Manitoba are experiencing a number of challenges in the form of shrinking budgets, rapidly changing information technology, outdated facilities, and a pressing need to develop relevant collections and adequate resources for diverse user communities. And yet, through ingenuity and innovation libraries continue to overcome these obstacles to provide exceptional programs and relevant services to their respective users. Recognizing the unlimited potential of Manitoba’s library community the Program Committee invites proposals for sessions on topics including, but not exclusive to: 

·       e-Collection Development

·       Strategic Planning

·       New Ways of Measuring results. New Ways of Measuring Success

·       Marketing Value

·       Leveraging Open-Source Information Technology

·       Indigenous Libraries and Archives

·       Programming for Diverse User Communities

·       Success Stories and Epic Failures: Library Project Hits and Misses

·       The Other F Word: Problems and Solutions with Library Funding

·       Punching Above Their Weight: Excellence in Manitoba’s Rural Libraries

·       Stories from the Front: Highlighting Library Technicians in Manitoba

·       Management in a Changing Environment

·       Partnering for Success: Exploring Joint Library Initiatives

Submitting Proposals:

 The 2014 Conference Program Committee welcomes proposals in a variety of formats including: 

·       Pre-conference (full or half-day.)

·       Traditional Session: Individual or group presentations of approximately 20 to 60 min per speaker with questions as time permits.

·       Panel Discussion: Presentations of approximately 10-15 minutes with discussion to follow.

·       Roundtable: 5-7 minute presentations with open floor discussion.

·       Lightning Round Talk: 20 presentation slides presented at 20 seconds per slide. 6 minutes on a specific topic or focused debate.

·       Poster Session: Summarized information using text and images presented in a poster format.

*French Language Proposals are Encouraged

Please complete the Speaker Form and submit it to librariesconference2014@gmail.com

The deadline for proposals is Friday November 1st^th, 2013.

Please feel free to direct questions to:

Sarah Clark
Co-Chair MLC Program Committee
Sarah.Clark@umanitoba.ca

Jordan Bass
Co-Chair MLC Program Committee
Jordan.les.Bass@gmail.com

Meetings regarding the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities are currently being in held in Morocco, from June 17-June 28.

In response to the most recent draft of the Treaty, the Manitoba Library Association shares the concern as expressed in the letter, linked below, submitted by the Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC/CBUC) to Canada's negotiating team for consideration as it prepared for these meetings.

In the letter CULC/CBUC "urges that Canadian representatives involved in the concluding stages of the WIPO negotiations argue for the following positions in treaty for the print disabled:

· That authorized agencies have the right to bypass a technological protection measure to make alternate format available to another authorized agency or qualified individual worldwide.

· That the treaty not include a “commercially available” restriction on the cross border supply of alternate formats. This would have the effect of placing cumbersome, if not unworkable, requirements authorized entities and severely impede the availability of content to all, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries.

· That cumbersome and unnecessary treaty language referencing other legislative (US fair use) or treaty (Berne’s 3 step test) regimes is unnecessary.

The full letter is available online at: http://www.culc.ca/cms_lib/CULC%20WIPO%20Letter.pdf"

Find out more at http://cec.laa.ca, or check out the CEC- Partnership Linked In Group and start tracking your learning today.

The Scholarships and Awards Committee is very pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2013 Manitoba Library Service Award in the Volunteer category is Susan Fraser. The service award honours an individual who has made an important contribution to the development of libraries and library services in our province. Susan received her award at the Manitoba Library Association Annual General Meeting held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on May 29th, 2013.

Susan has been involved with the Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library since 2000, and acted as President of the board from 2003-2013. She continues to show her commitment by continuing on in her role as Gift Shop Chair and volunteer manager.

While on the board, Susan was involved in:

• Raising funds for, establishing and managing the Best of Friends Gift Shop in the Millennium Library.
• Managing the annual Books and Brunch fundraiser.
• The provision of furnishings for rooms in WPL branches, including “animal ottomans” for every branch in the system.

Congratulations to Susan on her achievements, and best wishes for continued success!

Just a reminder -

MLA AGM will be held on:

Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Time: 4:30 pm
Place: Room 15, Winnipeg Convention Centre

Food and beverage will be provided.

Open to all.

See you there!

On May 3, 2013, Benjamin Gillies called for the need to cut public library branches in Winnipeg advising that perhaps instead the Winnipeg Public Library could provide 3 or 4 larger branches. The full article can be read here.

MLA President Stephen Carney has written the following letter in response. The letter was published with minor edits here. Special thanks to Dawn Bassett, Kim Parry and Monique Woroniak for assisting in writing the response.

"Benjamin Gillies, in his article City needs to innovate, not slash (May 3, 2013 A9), suggests that the City of Winnipeg should consider reducing the number of physical library branches to three of four large branches and a number of small satellites for retrieving requested material. Gillies does not take into consideration the many roles that public libraries play in addition to their loaning of materials in a range of formats.

Libraries are a space for study and learning, provide meeting places for individuals, groups and organizations, and offer programs for community members. Winnipeg Public Library (WPL) offers literally thousands of programs each year out of its 20 locations (in 2011, for example, 3239 separate public programs saw a total attendance of 73, 496 http://wpl.winnipeg.ca/library/pdfs/annualreport2011.pdf). The types of programs and services offered range from family, child and teen focused programming, author readings, literacy instruction, English as an Additional language programming and Aboriginal services programming to name just a few.

Branch libraries are centres of the community where the public can access information and services without having to leave their neighborhoods. Suggesting the City shut down a number of branch libraries ignores how libraries are used by the public and their role in the development of strong, healthy communities.

Stephen Carney, President
Manitoba Library Association