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Frequently Answered Questions
Top Five Questions | More FAQs
Top Five
- When will the 2015 Newbery and Caldecott Awards be announced?
The winners of the 2015 Newbery and Caldecott medals and other ALA Youth Media Awards (YMA) will be announced on Monday, February 2, 2015, from McCormick Place in Chicago. See the ALA Youth Media Awards main web page http://www.ala.org/yma for more information, including a link to the archived webcast video and press releases announcing the winners! Social media for the event includes the I Love Libraries Twitter account at http://twitter.com/ILoveLibraries, also known as @ILoveLibraries. Information about the Youth Media Awards can be found on the I Love Libraries Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/ILoveLibraries. Former accounts @ALAyma on Twitter and the ALA Youth Media Awards Facebook Page have been retired. Newbery Medal Home Page - The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Caldecott Medal Home Page - The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
- Is there a single page listing all of ALA's upcoming 2014-2015 library awareness events, like National Library Week, School Library Month, International Gaming Day, Banned Books Week, National Friends of Libraries Week, etc?
See the new Celebration Weeks & Promotional Events 2014-2015 page, which lists ALA's special Day, Week, and Month events in chronological order.
- When is the next ALA conference?
The 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting will be held January 30 - February 3, 2015 in Chicago, IL. The 2015 ALA Annual Conference will be held June 25-30, 2015 in San Francisco, CA. Bundled registration for 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting and 2015 ALA Annual Conference is open September 9-30, 2014. Registration and housing for the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting open October 1, 2014. Registration and housing for the 2015 ALA Annual Conference open January 12, 2015. The 2014 ALA Annual Conference was held June 26 to July 1, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV. Please see the 2014 Annual Conference Scheduler for further assistance, including the specific sections of Author Event Sessions and Sessions with Handouts. Official Twitter Hashtag: #alaac14
The 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting was held January 24-28, 2014 in Philadelphia, PA. Please see the 2014 Midwinter Meeting Scheduler for further assistance, including the specific sections of Author Event Sessions and Sessions with Handouts. Official Twitter Hashtag: #alamw14
Materials for 2012 and 2013 conferences can be retrieved at their individual schedulers: 2012 Annual Conference Scheduler, 2012 Midwinter Meeting Scheduler, 2013 Midwinter Meeting Scheduler, and 2013 ALA Annual Conference Scheduler.
For future Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference dates, please see ALA Upcoming Annual Conferences & Midwinter Meetings.Please contact Paul Graller of ALA Conference Services with any other questions!
- Who can join ALA? What does it cost? And what are my benefits?
Membership in the American Library Association (ALA) is available to libraries, librarians, library support staff, library school students, library retirees or other non-salaried, library trustees, library vendors - to anyone who supports librarianship, including library patrons, supporters, and Friends, whether inside or outside of the USA! The ALA offers several categories of membership:
- Personal Membership in ALA, Divisions and Round Tables. You can always renew a lapsed membership.
- Organizational Membership for libraries, international libraries, and other nonprofits interested in the work of ALA, its Divisions and its Round Tables.
- Corporate Membership for businesses interested in the work of ALA, its Divisions and its Round Tables.
- Businesses can also provide corporate support of ALA's advocacy work or become an ALA Library Champion - contact ALA's Development Office for details.
- Personal Membership in ALA, Divisions and Round Tables. You can always renew a lapsed membership.
- When is National Library Week in 2015?
National Library Week--http://www.ala.org/nlw--will next be celebrated April 12-18, 2015. The theme is TBA. Future National Library Week dates can be found on the fact sheet for National Library Week (scroll down to the bottom of the page). During National Library Week, libraries across the country host programs and events to showcase the variety of resources they offer to people of all ages. It's a great time to check out what's new at your school, campus, or public library. Sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), this annual event dates back to 1958 and celebrates the important contributions of libraries and librarians to our society. See the National Library Week main page and the National Library Week category on the ALA Professional Tips Wiki for more details, including a historical list of National Library Week themes. ALA's @ your library, The Campaign for America's Libraries continues ALA's multi-year public education effort about the value of libraries, librarians, and library workers in the 21st century. More details can be found at http://www.ala.org/@yourlibrary. Questions? Contact campaign staff via email at email@example.com.
More FAQ's
- I am wondering if you have any data regarding loss rate that may have been collected as part of surveys of your members or in any other form.
- How do I register for ALA's online courses, such as the ones being offered by AASL, ACRL, ASCLA, YALSA, PLA, and RUSA? How can I find out when ALA division conferences and forums, institutes, symposiums, live webinars, and other events will be held?
- I'm a parent looking for reading lists of good materials for my children to read this summer. Where can I start?
- What is the ALA-APA? How is it different from ALA? Did the ALA-APA's e-newsletter replace LPN, the Library Personnel News?
- I do a lot of traveling and visit libraries all over the country. What would make the visits more enjoyable would be if ALA would institute a National Library Card that I could use at any and all of them.
- I just finished reading a book on your banned books list. I would like to find a summary of the reasons why this book was challenged.
- As stated on the reunion of the cast of the 1970s ABC-TV television show, Happy Days, is it true that after the airing on September 27, 1977, of the episode titled, "Hard Cover," in which the show's most popular character, Fonzie, portrayed by actor Henry Winkler, got a library card, that library card registrations by children suddenly received a dramatic increase, as much as 500%?
- I'd like to present a program at your next conference. / I'd like to suggest a speaker for your next conference. How do I go about doing so?
- In light of certain events, how can I expedite information requests within the framework of state confidentiality laws?
- Has the American Library Association made any statements about the government actions in the area of terrorism?
- Can you give me some tips on searching your site effectively? How may I obtain assistance with navigating the website?
- My company would like to partner with the American Library Association on a project for libraries across the country. Who do I talk to about this?
- Where can I find information on ICONnect? Does it still exist? I've come across a lot of broken links for it.
What is ALA?
The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. Melvil Dewey, Justin Winsor, C. A. Cutter, Samuel S. Green, James L. Whitney, Fred B. Perkins, and Thomas W. Bicknell founded the Association on October 6, 1876, in Philadelphia.The online-only ALA Handbook of Organization provides information on ALA's structure, membership groups, and governing bodies. It is updated following the Annual Conference, when our officers are installed. As of July 31, 2013, the ALA had 57,518 members, with members in the United States of America, Canada, and over 115 other countries. Approximately 94% of those members are personal members, with the remaining being organizational or corporate members. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. ALA is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with additional offices in Washington, D.C., Middletown, Connecticut, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We may be contacted by e-mail, phone, fax and mail.
How do I order books, posters, and other ALA products and publications?
All of ALA's posters, books, and other materials are available for purchase by individuals as well as by libraries. Members of the American Library Association receive a 10% discount on purchases (be sure to clearly indicate your membership number in your order). You can view all of our available books and posters--as well as place an order--at the ALA Online Store.
Request the free ALA Editions (books) and/or ALA Graphics (posters and bookmarks) catalog and be added to the regular mailing list by clicking on the Request A Catalog link at the top of the page at the ALA Online Store and completing the address form.You can both request the free catalogs and place an order (or check on an existing order) by calling the main ALA toll-free phone number, 1-800-545-2433, and pressing 7 during the greeting. Or you can call 1-866-SHOP ALA (1-866-746-7252). Orders can be placed between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, Central Time. Orders, including purchase orders, can also be faxed to (770) 280-4155, or mailed to the following address:
American Library Association Order Fulfillment
P.O. Box 932501
Atlanta, GA 31193-2501
How can I become a librarian? Does ALA offer any classes?
The ALA web site has information on how to become a professional librarian. This position usually requires that a librarian have a master's degree in library and information science. ALA is the professional organization that accredits the master's degree programs at over 60 universities all over the country (and in Canada and Puerto Rico, as well). ALA accredits master's degrees only; it does not accredit undergraduate degrees or certificates in librarianship - which do exist. While there are bachelor's degrees in library science, it is not necessary to get one of these in order to prepare for the master's degree; the undergraduate degree can be in any subject. What ALA's accreditation hopes to show is that the librarian, as opposed to the library technical assistant or technician, is indeed worthy of professional designation and description, having successfully completed a graduate-level discipline and course of study. Undergraduate degrees and certificates are usually associated with library paraprofessional work, those support staff positions that carry the title of library technical assistant or library technician or any similar variations--see List of Support Staff Positions in Libraries. Definitely access the section of the ALA web site of ALA's Office for Accreditation, specifically:
Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the appropriate degree to be a professional librarian?
A: ALA policy B.9.2 (formerly ALA policy 54.2) states: "The master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association (or from a master's level program in library and information studies accredited or recognized by the appropriate national body of another country) is the appropriate professional degree for librarians."
For school librarians, ALA policy B.9.2.2 (formerly ALA Policy 54.2.2) states: The master's degree in librarianship from a program accredited by the American Library Association (emphasis added) OR a master's degree with a specialty in school librarianship from a program recognized by AASL (American Association of School Librarians, a division of ALA) in an educational unit accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAPE) is the appropriate first professional degree for school librarians."
The complete list of schools with ALA-accredited programs (which includes contact information for each institution) is available at the ALA web site as a searchable online database, at: Directory of Institutions Offering ALA-Accredited Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies
http://www.ala.org/lisdir Click on the link, Directory of ALA-accredited programs in a searchable database format, and then on the link, Search the database of ALA-accredited programs, which will take you to the main search page, Searchable database of ALA-accredited programs -- which has at the top of the page an instant sort of the list by state; click on a state's name to get a list of the universities in that state's with ALA-accredited library science master's degree programs. This online database version can be searched by various options, including "100% online program available." ALA has shown great faith in distance learning programs, by according these ALA-accredited status along with a university's traditional classroom programs.
For further assistance on school librarianship, please see the following web pages set up by American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA): CAEP/AASL School Librarianship Education Programs
School Librarianship as a Career Recruitment to School Librarianship: How to Make Sure Your Grandchildren Have Librarians in Their Schools -- Be sure to see Learning about the Job: What a school librarian does; Library Education & Licensing: Information about state certification, licensure and endorsement, and finding a library education program. School Library Media Certification by State – Compiled annually by School Library Monthly magazine: This handbook has been developed to simplify the process for individuals seeking licensure in school librarianship within the 50 states and to provide information regarding reciprocity. AASL Education & Careers https://delicious.com/alalibrary/school_libraries
Links to pages with information on becoming a school librarian as well as pages with information on setting up and maintaining a school library.
See ALA's Guidelines for choosing a master's program in library and information studies for help in selecting the master's program that is right for you. You would need to contact the individual degree programs directly for any further details.
Please note that not every master's degree program in library science is accredited by ALA. To see a list of all universities offering degrees in library science -- whether accredited by ALA or recognized by CAEP/AASL or not -- check your local public library for a copy of the American Library Directory, which is a two-volume set published by Information Today, Inc. Volume two has a list of all schools offering library science degree programs. This list attempts to be comprehensive, listing both graduate and undergraduate library science degree and certificate programs.
For further assistance, please use ALA's Educations and Careers web page, at:
How many libraries are there?
The ALA Library Fact Sheet Number 1, last updated April 2014, reports that there are an estimated 120,096 libraries of all kinds in the United States. No annual survey provides statistics on all types of libraries. Public, academic, and school library counts on that fact sheet come come from surveys by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Figures for special libraries, armed forces libraries, and government libraries come from the American Library DirectoryTM 2013-2014 compiled by the publisher, Information Today, Inc.
What is ALA's governing structure?
ALA is governed by a policy-making council elected directly by members; an executive board made up of four officers elected by members, plus eight members elected by Council, that is responsible for the oversight management of ALA; and an executive director, Keith Michael Fiels, who administers ALA headquarters and its 250-member staff. Current ALA President is President Courtney Young (2014-2015).
I am wondering if you have any data regarding loss rate that may have been collected as part of surveys of your members or in any other form.
There is no "standard" rate of book loss, not that ALA has created - and we don't believe that any other organizations have attempted to create such a figure. The reasoning and extent in reporting library theft varies, and so a national figure might not be reliable. Such statistics are only collected locally, and not on a national basis, so we must rely on general articles to describe the extent of the problem. For further details, see the Ask the ALA Library Blog entry, Loss Rate, from April 26, 2011.
What are divisions? Offices? Round tables?
Divisions are membership units focusing on specific types of libraries or library services; ALA has eleven divisions. Most ALA Offices are units which address broad interests and issues of concern to ALA members, while the others serve the needs of ALA staff. Offices do not have members, but the former are advised by member advisory committees. ALA has twenty-five offices in all. Round tables are membership units that promote specific fields or areas of librarianship outside the scope of the divisions; ALA has twenty round tables.
How do I register for ALA's online courses, such as the ones being offered by AASL, ACRL, ASCLA, YALSA, PLA, and RUSA? How can I find out when ALA division conferences and forums, institutes, symposiums, live webinars, and other events will be held?
For online courses, see the new ALA Online Learning page, divided by course topic, at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/onlinelearning/index.cfm Registration for all of ALA Online Learning, including online courses and most of our live webinars is now available at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/onlinelearning/reg/index.cfm If you have any questions about ALA Online Learning, please email email@example.com Please note that registration for some of ALA's upcoming webinars (such as some from ALA's ACRL and LITA divisions) is available via iLinc instead at:
For the courses and sessions available via iLinc, there are two options: iLinc Public Sessions you JOIN and then there's iLinc Public Sessions for which you RegisterPlease note that registration for some of ALA's other upcoming webinars (such as the ones from ALA's Booklist magazine) is available via WebEx instead at:
ALA Publishing WebEx Registration for all ALA Editions eCourses and ALA TechSource Workshops on WebEx is available via the eLearning section at the ALA Online Store. For the various other events, see the Affiliates conference & event calendar 2012-2024. Also check the online Calendar at ALA's AmericanLibrariesMagazine.org. Online registration is available for division conferences and forums, symposiums, training, institutes, workshops, and meetings. For questions about registering for events or conferences, please contact our Registration Center at email@example.com. For login help, send help requests to firstname.lastname@example.com.
What is National Library Legislative Day? When is it?
National Library Legislative Day occurred May 5-6, 2014. Held in the spring, National Library Legislative Day offers librarians the opportunity to come to Washington and talk directly with their congressional representatives. Please feel free to contact Jazzy Wright, Press Officer of the ALA Washington Office, if you would like more information about participating.
Can I contribute financially to ALA?
Yes. There are many opportunities to support ALA and libraries through contributions and donations to the ALA Development Office, as well as to the Freedom to Read Foundation, the ALA Washington Office, and assorted awards and scholarships, including the Spectrum Scholarship. Contact the ALA Development Office directly for best assistance. Or use our online GiveALA, which requires creating an ALA Website account.
Does ALA have an awards program for members?
Yes. ALA and its units confer many different types of awards; see the Awards & Grants main web page of the ALA Awards Database, at:
I have written a book. How do I get it into libraries?
Please be aware that individual libraries are responsible for their own collections. There is no one place that distributes books to all libraries -- and that includes ALA. Although, some main libraries purchase books for their branches as well as themselves. And some libraries purchase their books through such distributors as Baker & Taylor, Ingram Book Services, Emery-Pratt Company, and other book suppliers and wholesalers. At best, ALA can review your book in its review journal, Booklist. For more information on telling libraries about your own book, first access the ALA Library Fact Sheet 5, Marketing to Libraries, which lists strategies for informing the library community about your product or service. Then access the ALA Library Fact Sheet 3, Lists of Libraries, which lists companies and groups that sell library mailing lists and mailing labels, and includes a suggestion (at the end) on how to compile a list of e-mail addresses for libraries. You might also want to contact book distributors directly to see if they would be interested in providing your book to libraries. You can find directories of library vendors, including book distributors, on the ALA Library Fact Sheet 9, Library Products, Services and Consultants. If you are a publisher wishing to donate books to libraries, please see ALA Library Fact Sheet 12, Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs for groups and organizations that accept and distribute book donations to library and other recipients, as ALA does not provide this service.
I need an ALA interlibrary loan form. How can I get one?
The interlibrary loan form, sometimes called "the ALA form," can be accessed as an Adobe Reader PDF (Portable Document Format) file; as well as a Microsoft Word (2000) file (which can be edited). The form can also be purchased in bulk from library supply houses. A list of directories of library product suppliers is available on ALA Library Fact Sheet 9, Library Products, Services and Consultants.
Find out more about interlibrary loans from ALA Library Fact Sheet 8, Interlibrary Loans.
What is Banned Books Week? When is it?
Banned Books Week - http://www.ala.org/bbooks - celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. The most recent report of books being challenged and banned in schools and libraries, the 2010 BBW (Banned Books Week) Resource Guide (actually titled Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read), which lists book titles that were asked to be removed from schools and libraries, as well as when, where, and the reasons why, is now available from the ALA Online Store. This 2010 or the previous 2007 edition of this book might also be at your local public and/or community college library. For further assistance, see the Why was this book banned? and Perennial Question entries on the Ask the ALA Librarian Blog.
I'm a parent looking for reading lists of good materials for my children to read this summer. Where can I start?
ALA has many reading lists serving many different audiences and purposes as well as several annual book awards. The page that provides direct links to ALA's most well-known annual reading lists (Notable Children's Books, Best Books for Young Adults, etc) and also links to to lists of its annual book award winners, such as the Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, is ALA Library Fact Sheet 23, Recommended Reading, which is sorted by age group (children, teens, etc), at:
http://www.ala.org/readinglists Links to more reading lists and lists of book award winners, along with links to reading lists for summer reading programs at public libraries around the USA, can be found at:
http://www.delicious.com/alalibrary/tag_bundle/Reading%20Lists Resources on summer reading programs can be found at the Summer Reading Programs page at the ALA Professional Tips Wiki and on ALA Library Fact Sheet 17 - Library Summer Reading Programs.
I have some books I no longer want. How can I donate them to libraries?
ALA does not accept or distribute donations of books or any other materials. Please see ALA Library Fact Sheet 12, Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs for further assistance, including links to web sites with information on book donation programs across the country and all over the world. Several individual book donation organizations appear on the list compiled by this office, which can be accessed at:
http://delicious.com/alalibrary/bookdonations For information about possible value of older materials, the Rare Books and Manucripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, a division of the American Library Association), has prepared a detailed brochure, Your Old Books.
Are there any volunteer opportunities at your Annual Conference (or Midwinter Meeting)?
Each year for the Annual Conference, the Chapter Relations Office puts together a group of student volunteers from the chapters to assist ALA staff at the conference. To qualify, each student must be a current ALA member and a member of a student chapter, and cannot have previously participated in the program. Although each school has its own selection process (i.e. random drawing, essay contest, etc.), the chosen student's name must be submitted to ALA by the group's faculty advisor. One student will be accepted per chapter. In exchange for working 4 hours per day at the conference, each student will receive free conference registration, housing, and a per diem for meal expenses. Transportation costs (such as airfare and cabs) are the student's responsibility. This program is only available at Annual Conference. At this time, there are no volunteer opportunities at Midwinter Meetings.
Information about the Student-to-Staff Program is sent to the schools each year in January. Contact Don Wood with any questions.
I am a publisher. Where can I get information on your conferences and how I can participate?
For a list of the upcoming conferences of both the American Library Association and its state library association chapters, please see Affiliate & Chapter Planning Calendar. For a list of future ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference dates and locations only, please see Upcoming Conferences & Events. For full details on exhibiting at upcoming ALA Annual Conferences and/or Midwinter Meetings, please see the ALA Conferences and Exhibitions section of the ALA web site, at:
What is the ALA-APA? How is it different from ALA? Did the ALA-APA's e-newsletter replace LPN, the Library Personnel News?
The ALA Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) was created to work for better salaries, pay equity and increased status for librarians and other library workers and to certify individuals in specializations beyond the first degree. It is a legally separate entity, tied to ALA through an interlocked Board and Council. The full name is American Library Association-Allied Professional Association, the organization for the advancement of library employees. To find out more about ALA-APA activities, such as National Library Workers Day, and how you can get involved, visit the web site at http://www.ala-apa.org. LPN, or Library Personnel News, which was published by the ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment (HRDR), ceased with the December 2003 issue. It was replaced in January 2004 by a monthly e-newsletter, Library Worklife: HR E-News for Today's Leaders, which is published by the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), the organization for the advancement of library employees. Library Worklife covers similar HR-related issues, such as career advancement and HR laws and practice, and includes new topics, such as certification, statistics, and work/life balance, along with a section devoted to support staff issues. See the following web pages for further assistance: Information about Library Worklife and subscription costs:
http://ala-apa.org/newsletter How to subscribe to Library Worklife:
http://ala-apa.org/newsletter/subscribe-now How to write for Library Worklife:
http://ala-apa.org/newsletter/call-for-submissions. More questions? See the LW FAQ:
What happened to the Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace?
The Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace, the original 1990s Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace for Parents & Kids -- which initially included a list called 50+ Great Sites for Kids and Parents which evolved into the 700+ Great Sites for Kids (whose full name was 700+ Amazing, Spectacular, Mysterious, Wonderful Web Sites for Kids and the Adults Who Care About Them) -- had become outdated, with many web site links no longer working. ALA's Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC, a division of ALA) and the ALA public relations department, the Public Information Office (PIO), revised the guide in 2004. The list of links ultimately became the Great Web Sites for Kids at http://www.ala.org/greatsites and the additional information in the print brochure evolved into The Librarian's Guide to Great Web Sites for Kids brochure, which was available online as an Adobe Reader PDF. Then, a press release dated December 27, 2011, announced, ALSC's Great Websites for Kids relaunches with fresh new design:
Great Websites for Kids (GWS) http://www.ala.org/greatsites, the Association for Library Service to Children's (ALSC) online website directory, has been completely redesigned. The updated site boasts a fresh and colorful kid-friendly look and interactive social media enhancements.There wasn't an accompanying brochure -- but in 2008, the Children & Technology Committee of ALSC developed the brochure, Navigating the 'Net With Your Kids (PDF), addressing similar issues, along with resources on social networks and cyberbullying.
What is International Games Day? When is it?
This year's event will be on Saturday, November 15, 2014, at libraries everywhere. See the May 11, 2014 post, Registration is live! Click here to register for IGD@yl 2014! as well as the IGD FAQ for further details and information.
ALA's National Gaming Day, first celebrated in 2008, focuses on the social and recreational side of gaming. Gaming at the library encourages patrons of all ages to interact with diverse peers, share their expertise and develop new strategies for gaming and learning. At the library, kids can socialize with their friends and play board and video games while surrounded by books, librarians and a real world of knowledge. Use the International Games Day Contact Form with any questions.Additional resources include the Games and Gaming Community on ALA Connect open to both ALA members and nonmembers; the ALA Games & Gaming Round Table; the Gaming Lists & Activities by the YALSA Teen Gaming Interest Group on the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of ALA) Wiki; the Gaming page of the ALA Professional Tips Wiki; and the Recommended Games page over at ALA's At Your Library.
I do a lot of traveling and visit libraries all over the country. What would make the visits more enjoyable would be if ALA would institute a National Library Card that I could use at any and all of them.
This remains a popular suggestion from library users and patrons year after year. However, neither ALA nor PLA (Public Library Association, a division of ALA <http://www.ala.org/pla>) coordinate national public library service. Please be aware that ALA is a private, professional nonprofit organization to which members--librarian personal members and library organizational members--must pay dues to belong. Not necessarily every librarian or library are members of ALA. Public libraries are overseen not by ALA, but by their State Library. Due to the process by which public libraries are funded, the establishment of any national reciprocal borrowing privileges is a bit more complex than you might imagine. Public libraries in the U.S. are set up under a local governance model, as the majority of funding for most public libraries comes from local taxes. On average, nationwide, local taxes are responsible for over 80% of public library funds, with 10% coming from state sources; federal interests contribute less than 1%. Also, there is no mechanism set up by which the materials borrowed by "national" library users and patrons could be returned to their home institutions—which are presumably a state or more away--in a timely manner. Nor is there a mechanism to ensure that these materials would be returned. Creating such a multi-state secure mechanism that would protect and secure the varied collections of all of the libraries across the country from any misuse or abuse of a national borrowing system would pose a formidable challenge. Over the years, public libraries have made great strides in resources sharing, through the development of inter-library lending procedures, cooperative partnerships, regional networks, and even some statewide networks. And so there are nearly twenty states that do have statewide library cards/borrowing privileges: Alaska; Colorado; Connecticut; Georgia; Hawaii; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Maryland; Michigan; Minnesota; New Mexico; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Tennessee; Texas; Wyoming.
I just finished reading a book on your banned books list. I would like to find a summary of the reasons why this book was challenged.
As mentioned in the Why was this book banned? and Perennial Question entries on the Ask the ALA Librarian Blog, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) maintains information on which books are challenged, and why, and regularly publishes this information every three years, most recently in the 2010 BBW (Banned Books Week) Resource Guide (which is actually titled Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read), edited by Robert P. Doyle of the Illinois Library Association. The Resource Guide publication lists challenged and banned books in alphabetical order by the author's last name, and gives the dates and places and reasons that a book was threatened with removal (challenged) and/or was removed (banned) from a library or school. OIF compiles annual lists of most frequently challenged books and is the ALA department that sponsors the annual Banned Books Week event held every fall, usually in the last week of September. Find out more about Banned Books Week, at:
http://www.ala.org/bbooks Doyle also puts together a free yearly brochure (and has since 2003), which can all be found as PDF files on the web site of the Illinois Library Association. You can use the entry for Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read at WorldCat.org — the free online database of library catalogs all over the USA — to search via zip code for the closest public and/or community college library that has an available copy. You might also want to search availability of the previous edition, Banned Books: 2007 Resource Guide. Additional print editions can be found on the list at WorldCat.org, Why was this book banned or challenged. The Resource Guide is not entirely duplicated online. However, the reasons for some of the most famous novels ever written being challenged or banned appear on the page, Banned and/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century. For more information, see Researching Banned and Challenged Books, which also has some online resources. The information in the Resource Guide was often initially published in an issue of OIF's Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom. Check to see if your local library subscribes to this online periodical -- or has back issues of the previous print version. In both the print and online versions, challenges to books appear in the section titled, "Targets of the censor." But please be aware that the Newsletter draws on existing news stories, so you may also be able to find information by tracking down the original news reports by searching on the book title in online periodical article databases. In addition, there are a number of other books that may assist you in this research. Please check with your local library about the availability of any of the books listed on the Censorship Bibliography.
As stated on the reunion of the cast of the 1970s ABC-TV television show, Happy Days, is it true that after the airing on September 27, 1977, of the episode titled, "Hard Cover," in which the show's most popular character, Fonzie, portrayed by actor Henry Winkler, got a library card, that library card registrations by children suddenly received a dramatic increase, as much as 500%?
Yes, as discussed in the Happy Days 30th Anniversary Reunion television special that first aired on the ABC network on February 12, 2005, the Fonzie character did encourage his buddies to get a library card (the "Hard Cover" episode already has a claim to fame as being the first episode after Fonzie, ahem, "jumped the shark" in the season's three-part opener), but the American Library Association has been unable to document an increase in signups of the magnitude suggested by Winkler. Only a few states track the number of library cards held with any reliability, and there is no report in ALA's American Libraries or in any other library press periodical telling of a surge in signups in the months following the episode. The number of library cards in the United States is one statistic that wasn't collected for the Public Libraries in the United States federal survey series by the Institute of Museum and Library Services until the FY2008 (2010) edition. No such numbers appear in The Bowker Annual Library and Book Trade Almanac for that year or any other. There's a hesitation to collect and present such numbers, due to the fact that the accuracy of them would vary from library to library. For example, ALA publishes its own annual public library survey through its Public Library Association (PLA, a division of ALA), the Public Library Data Service (PLDS) Statistical Report, which is conducted on a random sampling of about 1,000 public libraries all over the US, of various population served sizes and locations. The survey questionnaire does ask each library to provide its number of "library registrations" but with the caveat: "Report this figure only if the library has purged its file at least once within the last three years. If not, indicate by putting N/A in the space." Many of the participating libraries, which are individually named in the report, do provide a number, but dozens of them do not. Patrons move away, or pass away, and citizens are under no obligation, legal or otherwise, to inform public libraries of their own or a relative's status and its effect on the library's number of registrations. In short, there is no way to prove--or disprove--the statement. Winkler, part of the Auditorium Speaker Series at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference, having previously provided the keynote speech at the closing session of ALA's 2005 Annual Conference, has spoken before of what he has overcome to become successful in his chosen profession, and he is obviously passionate about inspiring others, especially children, through literacy. For more information, see the article, From the Desk of Norman Lear: The Fonz, Drunk Drivers, and Trash, available from the Environmental Media Association, and the Happy Days Wikipedia entry. Also see the Entertainment Education and Health in the United States article that appeared in the Spring 2004 Issue Brief of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Where can I buy a copy of the Dewey Decimal System?
The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system is published by OCLC. For full information on both the book and online versions of the DDC, please see:
http://www.oclc.org/dewey Also see ALA Library Fact Sheet 18 - How to Acquire Cataloging Tools, scrolling down to the section titled Classification. A list of some of the libraries around the world that are using Dewey Decimal Classification can be found at Online DDC Catalogs.
I've been reading in the newspapers about library closings. Is there anything I can do to help?
Absolutely! Support for America's libraries is vital and that's what @ your library - The Campaign for America's Libraries is all about. Advocacy for libraries is important as funding cuts continue across the country--see Funding News @ your library for the latest news reports. Do not hesitate to contact the Campaign at firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions. For further information and guidance, definitely contact ALA's new Office for Library Advocacy (OLA). Find out more about OLA from the ALA Marginalia blog post, OLA: The First 100 Days. Also see the ALA Library Fact Sheet 24 - Library Fund Raising: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for further assistance.
I'd like to present a program at your next conference. / I'd like to suggest a speaker for your next conference. How do I go about doing so?
Programs are held only at the Annual Conference. Please be aware that at the American Library Association, most programming for the annual conference is completed by membership committees who prepare the programs and have them approved at the prior annual conference. The best way to work with these groups is to investigate which ALA division, office, or round table fits closest with your presentation's subject matter. Then you would contact that division or office or round table for details on contributing to their program at the conference. Within ALA, these various departments focus on the different types of libraries or on specific aspects of librarianship. See this question for the lists of the ALA divisions, offices, and round tables that are on the ALA website. Some of the ALA units send press releases announcing their calls for proposals of programs and presentations. The most recent such press releases have been collected at Delicious.com at
http://www.delicious.com/alalibrary/callforproposals If you are an author and wish to participate in the Annual Conference, first contact your publisher, which may already be a longtime ALA Annual Conference exhibitor with a booth for scheduled author signings and presentations. If you work with a publisher where that is not the case, see the section Exhibiting/Arrange to Have Your Book Displayed at a Trade Show on ALA Library Fact Sheet 5 - Marketing to Libraries for some other options.
How can I learn about doing public relations for my library?
The Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA, a division of the American Library Association), sponsors programs, publications, etc., pertinent to your needs. See specifically its Public Relations and Marketing Section. ALA's public relations department, the Public Information Office (PIO <http://www.ala.org/pio>), manages the public awareness efforts of the Association through the Campaign for America's Libraries, delivering key messages to external audiences about the value of libraries and librarians. Join PIO's Electronic Discussion lists, such as PR Talk or Library Advocacy Now! And see PIO's Visibility @ your library Blog for the latest tips, news, and information, at:
http://www.pio.ala.org/visibility In addition, the Library Media & PR web site by Stephanie Stokes provides public relations information and opportunities. See the following pages of the ALA Professional Tips Wiki by the ALA Library for additional resources and further assistance, especially recent publications and online articles: Advocacy Marketing Public Relations And see the book, article, and online resources compiled by the ALA Library on this subject at the delicious.com web site, at:
What is El día de los niños/El día de los libros--Children's Day/Book Day?
El día de los niños/El día de los libros--Children's Day/Book Day--is celebrated every year on April 30. Information about the event can be found on the ALA web site, at:
What is the "e-rate?"
E-rate is the popular name for a far-sighted extension of Universal Service authorized by Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This federal initiative provides discounts to public libraries and to public and private K-12 schools on telecommunications services, Internet access and some closely related costs, such as inside wiring. The discounts range from 20% to 90% with the deepest discounts going to those communities with the greatest need based upon the local eligibility levels for participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The E-rate has played a pivotal role in helping libraries connect their users to the Internet. Today more than 95% of our nation's libraries offer Internet access to the public. This is compared to 1996 when 28% of library systems that offered public access to the Internet in at least one branch. With more than $350 million in discounts since 1998, the E-rate has helped change the public library's information technology landscape. For more information, please see the E-Rate and Universal Service web page from ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP).
What are the proper steps to take in cleaning up a library after a disaster?
For tips on how to clean up following a natural or other disaster, please see the resources noted on ALA Library Fact Sheet Number 10 - Disaster Resources: A Selected Annotated Bibliography. If your area has been declared a federal disaster area, the web site of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will have additional information for you. Also, see the web sites of the American Red Cross and use FirstGov.gov, the official web portal of all U.S. Government agencies.
What--and when--is Teen Read Week?
Teen Read Week--http://teenreadweek.ning.com--will next be celebrated October 12-18, 2014. The theme: Turn Dreams into Reality @ your library Teen Read Week is an initiative of ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA, a division of ALA) started in 1998 that celebrates teen and young adult reading for enjoyment. During Teen Read Week, the winners of the Teens' Top Ten--http://www.ala.org/teenstopten--are announced. Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted on Support Teen Literature Day during National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year. Find out future Teen Read Week dates.
If I have feedback about the site, how can I send the feedback to ALA?
ALA is very interested in hearing what our members and site visitors have to say about our web site. We have established an e-mail box for this purpose. To provide feedback on this site, you may complete the Feedback Form online. For comments or questions about ALA and its work, please use firstname.lastname@example.com.
What is National Library Workers Day? When is it?
National Library Workers Day (NLWD) will next be celebrated on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. National Library Workers Day (NLWD) is an opportunity to celebrate the people who make libraries work, because "Libraries Work Because We Do." On the Tuesday of National Library Week, libraries host events that recognize the value, variety of responsibilities and contributions of library employees. Events have included parties sponsored by friends groups or trustees, bulletin boards with profiles of library staff so patrons can get to know them better, and personalized handmade "I appreciate you" cards given out by staff to one another. More ideas about how to publicize and celebrate can be found on the NLWD page on the ALA-APA web site, at:
Where can I find a copy of the copyright notice to place on copiers?
The copyright warning notice which should be placed on library photocopiers and other machines capable of duplication comes from the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress, which is online at:
http://www.copyright.gov The entire statement can be found in Circular 21, Reproduction of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians, of the Copyright Office, which appears online as an Adobe Reader PDF (Portable Document Format) document, at:
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ21.pdf In Circular 21, the copyright warning notice appears on page 20 of the 24-page PDF document; the paragraphs above and below the notice itself provide guidelines as to use and placement.
In light of certain events, how can I expedite information requests within the framework of state confidentiality laws?
Librarians are encouraged to study and understand state confidentiality laws and to cooperate with the authorities within the guidelines provided by these laws. Librarians have a responsibility to protect the privacy of our patrons while responding to legitimate national security concerns.
Please see the Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality web page from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. This statement includes links to key policy documents prepared by the American Library Association.
Who is the author of the ALA website? When did the site begin?
ALA began its public electronic era in the 1988-89 fiscal year, when several staff were provided "bitnet" accounts, courtesy of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). On May 12, 1991, the first subscription-based electronic list--ALCTS Network News (AN2)--was launched (AN2 was discontinued in 2002). More accounts and many more e-lists followed. In July 1994, ALA launched a Gopher, using the server at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There is a review of the Gopher service in the March 1995 American Libraries. On March 21, 1996, ALA moved to its own server, and began the process of migrating the material on the Gopher to the web site, www.ala.org. All units were provided "space" on the Gopher ... and the web. This space has become increasingly sophisticated as units have gained expertise in web presentation of material of interest to our members, prospective members, and others who have an interest in the mission of the ALA. In the fall of 2001, ALA Information Technology and Telecommunications Services (ITTS) Unit has contracted with a content management firm to assist in the redevelopment of the site. This "new" website launched April 7, 2003. It is the product of over 100 web content developers, and there is no single "webmaster." The ALA web is funded by the general ALA budget, with much of the developmental support coming from individual unit funds (for the staff involved in preparing the web pages or for outside contractors hired). In some cases, members directly support the web development as part of their volunteer work for the Association when they prepare pages--or even maintain whole linked websites. The web--with its nearly 40,000 pages--is continuously updated The main ALA URL -- http://www.ala.org -- remains the same as it has been since we first launched a website. Many division, round tables and office URLs also transferred to the new site. There are, however, many underlying addresses or URLs that will be changed in the transition. Enhanced search features and a detailed site maps are available in the new site to assist members and visitors in finding information. During the week of January 19, 2004, URLs on ALA's Web site were shortened to enhance the site's usability and allow users to refer to its pages more easily in print and other publications. This change to the site's structure did not affect any existing references to the longer URLs found on the site previously. All "old" URLs will automatically "redirect" to new ones, so that if you have bookmarked one of our pages, referred to it in print, or linked to it from somewhere else on the Web, you will be automatically redirected to the appropriate content. The most recent changes to the ALA Web Site, taking place from 2007 on through 2008, have been extensively tracked and duly reported by Karen Muller, ALA Librarian and Knowledge Manager, in the ALA Marginalia Blog in the ALA Web Site category. The ALA Web Advisory Committee provides general oversight for ALA's web-based activities.
Has the American Library Association made any statements about the government actions in the area of terrorism?
On October 26, 2001, Congress passed the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act" (USA Patriot Act) This law broadly expands the powers of federal law enforcement agencies investigating cases involving foreign intelligence and international terrorism. See The USA PATRIOT Act from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) for further information and guidance.
What are the 2014 ALA officer election results?
ALA's 2014 election results have been posted at ALA Election Information. The ALA election process begins with the preparation of the slate of candidates by the ALA Nominating Committee; there are also nominating committees in each of the divisions, sections of divisions, and the round tables. These slates are reported to the appropriate governing boards during the Midwinter Meeting. Once candidates are notified of the results, the Election Committee's report is posted to the website.
How can I find my closest public library?
Use the Find a library near you! box in the upper right corner of the At Your Library web site, which asks you to: Enter your zip code.
Where can I get information about CIPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act?
ALA's historical CIPA pages have been rebuilt and can now be found at The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Use the re-established shortcut URL: http://www.ala.org/cipa
What--and when--is Teen Tech Week?
Teen Tech Week will next be celebrated March 8-14, 2015. Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teens, librarians, educators, parents, and other concerned adults, and is meant to encourage teens to take advantage of libraries' nonprint resources. Teen Tech Week promotional materials, including bookmarks and posters, are available at the ALA Online Store. The event is sponsored by ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA, a division of ALA <http://www.ala.org/yalsa>).
For more details, see http://teentechweek.ning.com. Teen Tech Week debuted March 4-10, 2007.
What do I do if there was something on your old site but I can't find it on the site now?
We recommend that you try using our new (Google-powered) Search tool on the toolbar above to find the page, which has been customized for this current version of the ALA web site to give you quick and accurate on-site results -- and is more accurate than using Google.com at this point. Also, some search strategies are suggested in the October 21, 2008 Marginalia blog post, Using ALA's Website.
Can you give me some tips on searching your site effectively? How may I obtain assistance with navigating the website?
This site's Google Search Appliance uses the standard Boolean search operators AND, OR and NOT to help you refine your search. To gain navigation assistance by phone, contact ALA at (800) 545-2433, press 3 to reach the ALA Library, or send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
How do I set up a library?
Please see the web page compiled by the ALA Library on this subject, ALA Library Fact Sheet 16 - Setting Up a Library: A Resource Guide. The web page is divided into sections for a handful of library types: public library, academic (college or university) library, church or synagogue library, and home and family library. Other library types have their own pages: Fact Sheet 16a is Setting Up an International Library: A Resource Guide. Fact Sheet 16b is Setting Up a School Library: A Resource Guide. Fact Sheet 16c is Setting Up a Special Library: A Resource Guide.
Are there any resources or guidance for libraries regarding flu preparedness?
As mentioned in the Ask the ALA Library Flu Preparedness question, the ALA Library has compiled a detailed list of contacts and resources at Pandemic Preparedness, which includes a list of topics to include in an individual library policy. General information on disaster readiness and preparedness appears on ALA Library Fact Sheet 10 - Disaster Response: A Selected Annotated Bibliography, which includes resources for developing a plan to protect collections from natural and other disasters.
My company would like to partner with the American Library Association on a project for libraries across the country. Who do I talk to about this?
ALA provides a choice of Marketing & Advertising Opportunities. ALA also has a page addressing Frequently Asked Questions from Authors and Publishers. To speak with ALA about a project in collaboration with your company, please see Partnership Opportunities and please complete the Request for Collaboration form. Once you have submitted the form, a small administrative team shares your program proposal with the appropriate unit or units. This is the first step to planning a meeting to discuss ways to work together. The ALA Development Office provides information on corporate giving options, including Corporate Support and the ALA Library Champions program.
Where can I find information on ICONnect? Does it still exist? I've come across a lot of broken links for it.
ALA's ICONNect/KidsConnect program, from our American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA), began back in 1996 and formally ended in 2000. Some of the program information was retained and can now be found on the web site at:
KCTools -- http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/kidsconnectContact AASL at email@example.com with any further questions.


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New England begins the big dig-out after epic snow
PROVIDENCE, R.I. New Englanders began the back-breaking job of digging out from as much as 3 feet of snow Saturday and emergency crews used snowmobiles to reach shivering motorists stranded overnight on New York's Long Island after a howling storm swept through the Northeast.
About 475,000 homes and businesses remained without power late Saturday night, down from a peak of about 650,000, and some could be cold and dark for days. Roads across the New York-to-Boston corridor of roughly 25 million people were impassable. Cars were entombed by drifts. Some people found the wet, heavy snow packed so high against their homes they couldn't get their doors open.
"It's like lifting cement. They say it's 2 feet, but I think it's more like 3 feet," said Michael Levesque, who was shoveling snow in Quincy, Mass., for a landscaping company.
In Providence, where the drifts were 5 feet high and telephone lines encrusted with ice and snow drooped under the weight, Jason Harrison labored for nearly three hours to clear his blocked driveway and front walk and still had more work to do. His snowblower, he said, "has already paid for itself."
At least five deaths in the U.S. were blamed on the overnight snowstorm, including an 11-year-old boy in Boston who was overcome by carbon monoxide as he sat in a running car to keep warm while his father shoveled Saturday morning.
Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee cautioned that while the snow had stopped, the danger hadn't passed: "People need to take this storm seriously, even after it's over. If you have any kind of heart condition, be careful with the shoveling."
Blowing with hurricane-force winds of more than 80 mph in places, the storm hit hard along the heavily populated Interstate 95 corridor between New York City and Maine. Milford., Conn., got 38 inches of snow, and Portland, Maine, recorded 31.9, shattering a 1979 record. Several communities in New York and across New England got more than 2 feet.
Still, the storm was not as bad as some of the forecasts led many to fear, and not as dire as the Blizzard of '78, used by longtime New Englanders as the benchmark by which all other winter storms are measured.
By midday Saturday, the National Weather Service reported preliminary snowfall totals of 24.9 inches in Boston, or fifth on the city's all-time list. Bradley Airport near Hartford, Conn., got 22 inches, for the No. 2 spot in the record books there.
Concord, N.H., got 24 inches of snow, the second-highest amount on record and a few inches short of the reading from the great Blizzard of 1888.
In New York, where Central Park recorded 11 inches, not even enough to make the Top 10 list, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city "dodged a bullet" and its streets were "in great shape." The three major airports - LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark, N.J. - were up and running by late morning after shutting down the evening before.
Most of the power outages were in Massachusetts, where more than 400,000 homes and businesses were left in the dark. Hours before midnight Saturday, about 308,000 customers remained without power. In Rhode Island, a peak of around 180,000 customers lost power, or about one-third of the state. Late night, the total was down to 130,000.
Connecticut crews had slowly whittled down the outage total to 31,000 from a high of about 38,000, and power was restored to nearly all of the more than 15,000 in Maine and New Hampshire who were left without lights after the storm hit.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island imposed travel bans until 4 p.m. to keep cars off the road and let plows do their work, and the National Guard helped clear highways in Connecticut, where more than 240 auto accidents were reported. The Guardsmen rescued about 90 motorists, including a few who had hypothermia and were taken to hospitals.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison after two decades of debate about public land policy and concern about exploitative logging, putting in pla
Climate change is devastating wild lands and the wildlife that thrives inside them, according to findings of a government study.
Legislation being considered in the U.S. Senate would undermine important environmental laws and increase unsustainable logging in our national forests--unless you speak out against it.
The report, released on Aug. 5, indicates a serious tipping point for the agency with half of the Forest Service Budget usurped by wildfire costs.
Wildfires are growing larger and more destructive than ever before due to climate change, drought, a lack of funding for prevention programs and other factors.
The last Congress was a mixed bag for conservation, but it ended with a big victory, as Congress protected over 1 million acres of public lands (thanks in large part to the members and supporters of Th
Lawmakers are bowing to special interest groups, attempting to forward the sale or transfer of public lands including wilderness areas, wildlife refuges and national forests to state and local governments.
Their study, released earlier this year, looked at various methods such as capturing emissions from factories, extracting carbon directly from the air, a
The U.S. Senate is debating its fiscal year 2016 budget resolution, a process that will include amendments affecting important programs that support forests, parks and conservation priorities.
Chronic under-funding has left our nation's trail system in poor shape. Support a bill that would change that.


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Villa 11533, Layan
- Layan, North Phuket
- 4
- 8
- 4
- Ref No. 11533
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This magnificent 2 storey villa boasts an excellent location on the west coast of Phuket that takes advantages of tranquility and complete facilities for tourists.
Perched on the hillside with stunning panoramic views, the estate is only 5 minutes drive to the pristine Layan Beach and Banyan Tree Spa and 18-hole Laguna Golf Course.
Once entering the garage, guests can walk upstairs to the second floor that they will encounter the 7×5 m infinity edge swimming pool. There are 3 bedrooms on this floor, while the fourth bedroom is on the first floor.
Master bedroom features a king size traditional Thai style wooden bed, floor to ceiling wooden louver doors opening onto private terrace and en-suite bathroom with Jacuzzi.
Living room is connected to spacious kitchen which is well fitted with built in cupboards and full appliances. Tenants can enjoy breakfast at breakfast bar just beside the kitchen, or at 8 seat luxurious hard wood dining table. Another table set is on covered terrace overlooking the sea and lush greenery.
There are 4 additional pullout beds to be applied in the third and fourth bedrooms for big families.
Clubhouse features communal facilities such as tennis court, 210 sqm swimming pool and BBQ area.
Holiday rental minimum stay: 3 Minimum stay : 6 nights required between Dec. 23 and Jan. 5.
Rates are inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% VAT.
Please note: These rates are subject to change. Final rate will be confirmed prior to payment of deposit.


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Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)
Texas Chainsaw 3D SynopsisLionsgates Texas Chainsaw 3D continues the legendary story of the homicidal Sawyer family, picking up where Tobe Hoopers 1974 horror classic left off in Newt, Texas, where for decades people went missing without a trace. The townspeople long suspected the Sawyer family, owners of a local barbeque pit, were somehow responsible. Their suspicions were finally confirmed one hot summer day when a young woman escaped the Sawyer house following the brutal murders of her four friends. Word around the small town quickly spread, and a vigilante mob of enraged locals surrounded the Sawyer stronghold, burning it to the ground and killing every last member of the family or so they thought.
Decades later and hundreds of miles away from the original massacre, a young woman named Heather learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she never knew she had. After embarking on a road trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the mansions dank cellars.
Texas Chainsaw 3D Release Date
In Theaters January 4, 2013
Texas Chainsaw 3D Credits
Starring: Alexandra Daddario (Heather Miller), Dan Yeager (Leatherface), Tremaine 'Trey Songz' Neverson (Ryan), Scott Eastwood (Carl), Tania Raymonde (Nikki), Thom Barry (Sheriff Hooper), Paul Rae (Burt Hartman), and Bill Moseley (Drayton Sawyer)
Written by: Adam Marcus, Debra Sullivan and Kirsten Elms
Directed by: John Luessenhop
Produced by: Danny Dimbort, John Thompson, Trevor Short, and Tobe Hooper
Length: 92 min
MPAA Rating: [ R ]
Distributor: Lionsgate
External Info: Texas Chainsaw 3D Official Website
Subscribe To Texas Chainsaw 3D Updates
if you're excited for Texas Chainsaw 3D


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May 25, 2016
ATLANTA (AP) -- The unemployment rate in Georgia held steady at 9.2 percent in August.
Figures released Thursday by the state Department of Labor show that unemployment has not budged since July. But it's lower compared to a year ago, when the figure was nearly 10 percent.
Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said that more than half of the job growth last month was attributable to seasonal education workers returning for the new school year. The year-to-year growth is the most Georgia has seen since 2007.
Outside of education, other industries reported some growth. For example, health care and social assistance grew by 4,400 jobs, while professional and business services added roughly 2,400 positions.
The pace of new layoffs was slowing. New unemployment claims dropped to 45,725, down by 10,815 from July.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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Coming to a TV near you
Politics | With a tightening race for the White House, battleground states face a continuing stream of campaign ads
While the term "blockbuster" usually belongs to the box office-busting movies of summer, it is safe to say that politicians direct the only record-setting blockbusters occurring on the airwaves this fall.
With a little more than two weeks before Election Day, the grand total spent on presidential campaign advertising has already surpassed the amount shelled out for commercials during the entire 2008 presidential race. This year's advertising total of nearly $725 million so far is roughly equal to the combined box office receipts from this year's hit summer films The Dark Knight Rises and the Amazing Spider-Man. The campaigns and their surrogates forked over $57 million for television commercials alone for the week ending Oct. 5.
But, as the two campaigns and their allies accelerate the barrage of commercial messages in the coming weeks, most of the nation may not even notice.
President Barack Obama's contest against Republican challenger Mitt Romney is a fight over the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. And the front lines of that war are located in just a handful of battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. While these nine states have shared the political spotlight all year, some pollsters lately are starting to include the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. Whoever wins the majority of the 151 electoral votes in these 12 states will be well on his way to securing the presidency.
If you are from one of those states, then prepare to be annoyed by the final commercial onslaught. That is if you are not already fed up with the flood of commercials, mailings, phone calls, and door knocks you have endured already.
If you live in the nation's other 38 states, sit back and enjoy the last presidential debate Monday night, because that may be the final time you see and hear from both candidates until one gives a concession speech and the other enjoys a victory celebration on Nov. 6.
President Obama won all 12 of those battleground states in 2008 by an average of 7.5 points. Like four years ago, the crown jewels for both candidates are Florida, Virginia, and Ohio. To prove that fact you only have to follow the money: Out of the $700 million-plus spent on commercials so far, a whopping 56 percent has gone to media outlets in these three states alone. In one recent week the two parties spent a combined $11.4 million trying to reach Ohio voters, $12.6 million in Florida, and $10.5 million in Virginia. So it's a good time to be a TV ad salesman if you live in Orlando, Cincinnati, or Richmond.
These states mean everything for Gov. Romney. They each went Republican in the two presidential elections won by George W. Bush. In fact, no Republican has ever won the presidency without carrying Ohio. Polls in September showed Obama widening a lead in Ohio and Florida, but then came the first debate, and now the polls have tightened, and the battle will intensify in the Sunshine State and the Buckeye State.
With Floridians suffering under an unemployment rate of 8.8 percent, Republicans are focusing their message on jobs. In Ohio, where the unemployment rate of 7.2 percent is below the national average, Romney is trying to connect with working class voters to convince them that the Ohio economy could be much better. The candidates are facing two Virginias: the mostly rural southern parts, where joblessness is high, and Northern Virginia, where cities close to Washington, D.C., enjoy a robust economy fueled by contracts with the federal government.
Democrats have an edge in registered voters in many of the battleground states, but that advantage is smaller than the one enjoyed by the party in 2008. This year Democrats hold a 450,000 edge in voter registrations in Florida, down from the roughly 610,000-voter advantage four years ago. Decreases in the registered voter advantage for Democrats also have occurred in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Iowa. With Democrats holding commanding leads in states with solid Democratic support and high Electoral College votes, such as California (55), New York (29), and Illinois (20), the battleground states are of particular importance to Romney in the race to 270.
The former Massachusetts governor is hoping that he can recapture North Carolina and Virginia for the Republican Party—states that long belonged to the GOP but went for Obama in 2008. Indiana also is traditionally a red state that voted for Obama four years ago, but it is not considered a battleground state this time around in the presidential race, with the Romney-Ryan ticket set to pick up the Hoosier State's 11 electoral votes.
But Romney will need more than just Indiana to swing back to the Republican side. He is even looking to pull out upset wins in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Those three states haven't gone Republican in the last five presidential elections (six for Wisconsin). Throw in Ohio and these form part of the industrial Rust Belt states, and these states may be in play due to the struggling manufacturing sector of the economy. What gives the Romney campaign hope is the fact that the GOP swept the governor and Senate races in these states in 2010. A Romney win in any of them may signal a good night on Nov. 6 for Republicans.
An X-factor for the swing-state battle is the nation's growing Hispanic population. Twenty percent of the increase in the U.S. Latino population over the last decade has occurred in five battleground states: Florida, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia. While all those states went Republican in most presidential contests since 1980, they all voted for Obama four years ago.
And those aren't the only battleground states undergoing a changing demographic. According to U.S. Census data, the Hispanic population between 2000 and 2010 grew in Pennsylvania by 83 percent, in Iowa by 84 percent, in Ohio by 63 percent, and in New Hampshire by 79 percent. Republicans must improve their outreach to Hispanic voters who continue to vote for Democrats in heavy numbers or these states may be blue for some time.
Despite the millions already spent on advertising, voters in the battleground states should brace for more campaign commercials. The Center for Responsive Politics notes that in 2010, the final month of spending made up 56 percent of the total reported spending for that election cycle.
Republicans began October with $191.2 million in cash on hand. Granted, Obama and the Democratic committees affiliated with his campaign raised $181 million in September, a record for an incumbent president. That bested Romney and Republicans committees that month by $11 million.
But such comparisons do not count the non-party spending that tilts heavily this year toward Romney and the GOP. Presidential campaign advertising numbers from April through Oct. 12 found that pro-Romney ad spending exceeded pro-Obama spending by about $65 million across these nine battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
The bottom line: If you live in one of these states you will be able to recite numerous campaign ads from memory whether you like it or not. Some of you probably already can.


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Install Rear Trailing ArmsWritten by on January 1, 1998 PST
Installing aftermarket boxed rear trailing arms is an effective suspension mod that most car crafters can do themselves--it's very common on rear-coil-sprung GM cars such as A- and G-bodies from 1964-1988. But as basic as this upgrade is, there is some stuff to consider that the instructions don't talk about. Recently, we installed a set of PST lower rear trailing arms on an 1987 Buick Grand National (a GM G-body), and here we'll tell you what the instructions don't. The arms themselves are different for the late-model A- and G-bodies than they are for the 1964-1972 A-body cars (Chevelles, Skylarks, and such), but the installation procedure is very similar. It's also the same for the arms from the many companies that sell 'em.
Info: (973) 299-8019
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PST offers upper and lower trailing arms for most GM musclecars using a factory four-link-type rear suspension. The bars feature a boxed construction that eliminates twisting, and have polygraphite bushings to reduce deflection. We only installed new PST lower arms and left the stock top units since it's the lowers that cure most of the wheel hop problems.Begin by supporting the car off the ground with a pair of jackstands positioned on the frame just in front of the rear tires. Although the rear tires will be off the ground, you can ease installation of the trailing arms by using a floor jack to slightly compress the rear suspension.If your car is fitted with a rear antiroll bar that attaches to the lower trailing arms (such as many GM A- and G-bodies), remove the bar. Our 1987 Buick had metric fasteners requiring an 8mm wrench and socket to remove the four bolts.Remove and install the trailing arms on only one side of the car at a time. Remove the stock arm's rear nut and bolt (18mm wrench and socket on this car). If you can't slide out the bolt after the nut is removed, press on the bolt end with your finger and use the ratchet to unthread the bolt out of the arm.Removing the front trailing arm bolt is a bit trickier. There should be a factory access hole drilled in the frame, but you'll need an 18mm or correct SAE-sized socket fitted to a 6-inch extension to get to the bolt head. Use a wrench to hold the nut as you loosen.The stock lower trailing arm will likely be a snug fit, but some tugging should work to remove it. If not, you may have to use a prybar or a large screwdriver to remove the arm.Our trailing arm mounting locations were grunge covered and scaly, so we used a piece of 100-grit sandpaper to remove the deposits that could complicate the new arms' installation and possibly grind into the bushings. After light sanding, we lubed the mounting surfaces with hi-temp grease.Check out the difference between the flimsy stock lower trailing arm compared to the beefy unit from PST. The stock arm's U-shaped construction twists during aggressive driving and promotes wheelhop. Also check the grease fitting, which is for periodically lubing the bushings.
The PST trailing arms come with new mounting hardware, so we junked our scungy stock metric bolts for new American SAE-threaded bolts. After installation, use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to 70 lb-ft. Some shops recommend fully tightening the bolts only once the car is back on the ground.Here's one of those tricky steps the instructions don't talk about--rear antiroll bar re- installation. Our bar was a beefy aftermarket unit that required a fair bit of positioning via a rubber mallet. Each time we hit the bar it would spring back, so we had a buddy waiting with the antiroll-bar-to-trailing-arm bolt so when we hit, the bolt could be quickly slid into position. Even if we had used the stock antiroll bar, we'd still probably have to use the mallet method because it was a tight fit with the beefier PST arms.


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Amid cuts, Coast Guard holds steady, for now
While the Pentagon complains about massive budget cuts, the U.S. Coast Guard — the smallest and sometimes overlooked arm of the armed forces — has been faring fairly well, moneywise.
"It's a steady state for us," said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert Papp, in a recent interview in San Diego. "We're not doing too badly right now. We haven't seen any major reductions."
The Coast Guard's 2013 discretionary budget was proposed at $8.3 billion. That's slightly less than the $8.6 billion it got in 2012, but Papp said that Congress has indicated in draft legislation that it will add more money, as it has in the past.
Since the terrorist attacks of 2001, the Coast Guard's budget has ballooned from $4.5 billion in 2002, as America worried anew about the security of its coasts.
But the sequester — the $1.2 trillion budget ax set to fall March 1 unless Congress decides otherwise — is a wild card.
The sequester would take $600 billion from defense and $600 billion from nondefense pocketbooks over the next decade. For the Defense Department's $550 billion base budget, that's a roughly 10 percent hit each year.
As a non-Pentagon service, how the Coast Guard will be affected is an open question.
Papp says he doesn't know the answer.
"I haven't been given the rules yet," he said. "We've received no guidance on what our cuts will be. So, as a good sailor, if I'm going out into the ocean and I don't know what the weather's going to be, I make estimates and predictions. My staff is working on various scenarios and various cuts if it comes to fruition."
The commandant, who served most of his career on Coast Guard cutters, said there's potential for reductions that would affect the cutters, patrol craft and search helicopters working out of San Diego Bay.
"When you see boats and planes out there, some of time they are doing missions, but a lot of times they are doing training. All of it depends on money — for fuel and to send people to schools," Papp said.
"That's what I fear. That one of the things we might have to look at is reducing fuel expenditures and reducing travel costs that would prevent us from keeping our people trained to the level they have to be."
The Navy is already there. Last month it instituted a hiring freeze and announced that all nonessential travel would be canceled. Last week, the Navy said the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman will not deploy as expected this year because of budget concerns.
Papp said the Coast Guard will protect its core work: search and rescue and security of ports such as San Diego.
"Those two are jobs No. 1," he said.
The Coast Guard, which has 43,000 active-duty service members, stations 930 people in San Diego.
The local inventory of hardware includes two 378-foot cutters that transferred to San Diego in 2011, a handful of 110-foot and 87-foot patrol boats and several small, fast security vessels that escort Navy ships in and out of the bay.
The sector also flies orange-and-white MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters out of its headquarters along Harbor Drive.
That inventory will shrink in coming years when the 378-foot Vietnam-era cutters Sherman and Boutwell retire. Each has a crew of 180.
One of the Coast Guard's biggest spending projects is the National Security Cutter. Eight of these high-tech cutters are scheduled to replace the service's 12 existing long-range vessels.
But none of the eight will be stationed in San Diego. Papp said the proposed ports are Alameda on San Francisco Bay, Charleston, S.C., and Honolulu. The first three — the Bertholf, Waesche and Stratton — are already serving in Alameda.


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The following is an industry press release...
America's motorcyclists and families battling childhood brain tumors joined together to raise more than $3.8 million to support the work of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation in 2012.
The Ride for Kids, held in 40 cities across the country, recognizes top fundraisers in four categories: Motorcycle business, motorcycle club/chapter, individual and special organization. The overall leaders for 2012 were:
"Children with brain tumors and their families had a lot to cheer about last year," said PBTF President and CEO Robin Boettcher. "The motorcycle community, volunteers and sponsors helped us fund cutting-edge international medical research andprovide support, such as college scholarships for survivors. We're gearing up for some exciting changes in 2013, and thank everyone for their ongoing support of our work to cure the kids."
Program enhancements for 2013 Ride for Kids events are planned in 43 locations in 2013, including the 40 on the current schedule and three pilot rides to be announced later this year.
At each event, we will continue to draw for a new Honda motorcycle and other great prizes. Online registration and integrated personal fundraising pages are coming this spring. The early bird registration rate of $40 per motorcycle includes one ticket for the prize drawing. Walk-up registration (day of event) is $50 per bike.
A new prize redemption program will give fundraisers a greater selection of incentive items. Participants can earn a collectible event T-shirt for as little as $100. Depending on how much is raised, they will qualify for one additional incentive with a selection of great prizes offered at each fundraising level.
Thanks to our partners American Honda is the presenting sponsor of Ride for Kids, and GEICO is our national insurance sponsor. Our supporters include Cycle World, Advanstar Communications and the International Motorcycle Shows.
This year's Ride for Kids/Cycle World motorcycle drawing features a 2012 CBR1000RR donated by Honda and customized by Gregg DesJardins with assistance from Blue Cat (Roberto Serangeli), Performance Machine, Cycles 128, Bell Helmets, Leo Vince, Saddlemen, CRG and Dunlop. Get your chance to win online. No purchase is necessary to win, and the drawing is void where prohibited. See official rules for details. The winner's name will be drawn in May 2013.
Riding to cure the kids Pediatric brain tumors are one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer, striking 11 American children each day. The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation works to eliminate the challenges of this killer disease by funding medical research and family support programs.
The Ride for Kids program has helped make the PBTF the world's leading non-governmental source of childhood brain tumor research funding. We are also one of Charity Navigator's highest-rated nonprofit organizations.


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The academics offered at UAH can expand your horizons. Apply today and unlock your spirit of discovery.
Apply today to take part in world-changing research.
Join the Charger Nation and experience all that our exciting campus has to offer.
Join the UAH Theatre mailing list to receive email updates on upcoming shows, auditions and events!


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Rockville Centre Letters to the Editor, Week of Jan. 17
(Page 2 of 2)
Feeding the Island's neediest
To the Editor:
I read with great interest Scott Brinton's column on contributing to nonprofit organizations, "Saving the world, $10 at a time, part II" (Jan. 10-16), and his inquiry about readers' favorite groups. Thank you for this opportunity to share information about the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network). Started in 1983 as a single soup kitchen, the INN now maintains 19 soup kitchens throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as emergency shelters and a long-term housing
For more than two years, I have volunteered in Hempstead at the Mary Brennan INN — the first and largest of this amazing organization's endeavors. Our goal is to serve "hungry and homeless Long Islanders with dignity, respect and love." I invite your readers to learn more at www.the-inn.org.
Elizabeth Rowe
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Slip Flow Benchmark
Application ID: 12090
This model is a benchmark model for the Slip Flow interface. It is based on both analytic and numeric calculations. Air at atmospheric pressure flows through a conducting micro-channel connecting two reservoirs maintained at different temperatures. A flow between the two reservoirs develops as a result of thermal creep along the channel wall, which in turn produces a pressure gradient. At steady state the net flow through the channel is zero, but a pressure gradient exists between the hot and cold sides of the reservoir and a circulating flow occurs.


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Class notes: Oct. 6, 2012
Semifinalists named in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 58th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,300 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million, which will be awarded in the spring.
Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered. Each finalist will compete for one of 2,500 scholarships worth $2,500 that will be awarded on a state representational basis. Corporate-sponsored awards will be provided by corporations and business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria. Colleges and universities finance college-sponsored awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
Below is a list of local semifinalists:
Charleston Catholic High School: Emily A. Gould, Samantha G. Harris, Jad Malas, Danielle A. Sadd, Eoin M. Tinney.
Homeschool: Rebekah R. Martin (Charleston), Christian Smith (South Charleston), Anna M. Sodaro (Scott Depot).
George Washington High School: Michael M. Baek, Shannon O. Kelsh, Jacob A. Nason, Amanda G. Nelson, Ahmed M. Shammaa, Andrew N. Sivaprakasam, Laura E. Wright.
Herbert Hoover High School: Sarah C. Seabolt.
Hurricane High School: Vivian Yao, Sylvia T. Zhang.
Oak Hill High School: Michael T. McGraw.
South Charleston High School: Kylie Joins, Matthew Massie, Isabella M. Sanchez.
Winfield High School: Eva Dunn.
Area semifinalist named for 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Program
Andrea E. Tyree, a student at George Washington High School was designated a semifinalist in the 49th annual National Achievement Scholarship Program. Tryee will compete for one of approximately 800 Achievement Scholarships, which recognizes academically promising black students throughout the nation.
American Scholar competition begins
Magic 106.5 and West Virginia Wesleyan will award scholarships to North Central West Virginia students through the American Scholar Program, which provides a full, four-year scholarship to Wesleyan that includes tuition, room and board. The first and second runners-up will receive four-year scholarships of $5,000 and $2,500 respectively in addition to other Wesleyan academic awards. In addition, each finalist will receive a Kindle Fire or iPad.
Students from Barbour, Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker and Upshur counties are eligible for the competition.
Students can apply online at www.wvmagic.com or submit a paper application to West Virginia Wesleyan's Office of Admission. Scholarship candidates are required to send Wesleyan their high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores. All application materials must be submitted before Oct. 31.
The program is sponsored by West Virginia Wesleyan, in conjunction with West Virginia Radio Corporation and the law firm, Columbo & Stuhr, PLLC. For more information about the program, contact the Wesleyan Office of Admission at 800-722-9933.
Class Notes is a way to recognize the academic accomplishments of area students. We accept news of scholarships, academic awards and other scholastic achievements. We do not accept honor roll lists or news related to sports and extracurricular activities.
Items for Class Notes may be submitted by mail to The Charleston Gazette, 1001 Virginia St. E., Charleston, WV 25301, faxed to 304-348-1233 or emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com. Notices will be run a single time free of charge. Please include a contact person's name and daytime telephone number.


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Ellington, MO (KSDK) - A one vehicle crash Saturday morning has claimed the life of an Ellington man.
Missouri Highway Patrol troopers say aropund 10:30 a.m. Saturday, 50 year old Patrick Akers was eastbound on Route H, east of Highway 21 and south of his hometown, when he drove off the right side of the road.
Akers vehicle then slammed into a tree along the highway and Akers was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers say the victim was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.