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VOLUME 68, NO. 1 SPRING 2004

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 2A Quarterly Publication of the ISSN 0194-388XMississippi Library Association©2004EDITORIAL STAFFCO-EDITORS............................Kathryn R. DavisBox 5128, USMGC LibraryThe University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf CoastLong Beach, MS 39560-2699(W) 228-867-8760FAX: 228-867-2650email: kathy.davis@usm.eduDonnelle ScottBox 5128, USMGC LibraryThe University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf CoastLong Beach, MS 39560-2699(W) 228-867-8767FAX: 228-867-2650email: donnelle.scott@usm.eduContentsPresident’s Page ....................................................................................................1One Jackson One BookWard Sumner...................................................................................................3ANNUAL EVENTS: Keeping the Library in the Public EyePrima Plauché..................................................................................................6Seeking A New Measure of Service with LibQUAL+Kay L. Wall.......................................................................................................8COPY EDITOR ........................Kathleen L. WellsThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: kathleen.wells@usm.eduADVERTISING EDITOR ...............Kaylene BehmThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: kaylene.behm@usm.eduREPORTER.......................................Allisa BeckThe University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coastemail: allisa.beck@usm.eduCOLUMN EDITORS....................Rick TorgersonDelta State Universityemail: rick@deltastate.eduPeggy PriceThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: peggy.price@usm.eduMLA Legislative Day 2004 ...................................................................................11The MLA Public Relations Awards .........................................................................12A Look at Legislative Day 2004 ........................................................................... 13MLA 2004 Officer Nominees................................................................................14Call for Poster Sessions ........................................................................................16The Web in Review ..............................................................................................17MLA 2004 Conference Preview ............................................................................19News Briefs .........................................................................................................20About Books........................................................................................................212004 MLA Conference Committees ......................................................................22About Children’s Books........................................................................................23MLA Executive Board Minutes ..............................................................................24On the Cover: The cover artwork is “reader,” 14 1 ⁄2" x 11 1 ⁄4" acrylic on paper, by Hattiesburg artist Amy Giust.In the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mullins. Ms. Giust’s work will be featured on the covers of MississippiLibraries for Volume 68.Steven TurnerThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: steven.turner@usm.eduBOOK REVIEW EDITOR................Tracy EnglertThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: tracy.englert@usm.eduCHILDREN’S BOOKREVIEW EDITOR ....................Rosemary ChanceThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: rosemary.chance@usm.eduMLA PUBLICITYCOMMITTEE, CHAIR.....................Mary PerkinsHancock County Library SystemEmail: mperkins@hancock.lib.ms.usINDEXER..................................Shirlene StognerThe University of Southern Mississippiemail: shirlene.stogner@usm.eduMississippi Libraries is a publication of the Mississippi Library Association, and is indexed in Library Literature.The articles, reports and features herein represent the viewpoints of their respective authors and are notnecessarily the official opinions of the Association. Printed with soy ink on recycled paper.Subscription Rate: $16.00 per year ($4.00 per issue), $24.00 per year outside the U.S., free to MLA members.Back issues available from University Microfilms International. Advertising rates on request to AdvertisingEditor. Deadline for advertising copy is the tenth of the month preceding month of publication.Manuscripts must be typescripts produced as a computer file document, Times New Roman font, 12 pt., inMSWord 95 or greater, WordPerfect or ASCII text. Send file as an attachment or submit the file on a floppydisk via surface mail. Manuscripts must be received by the editor by the following deadlines: Spring, February2nd; Summer, May 2nd; Fall, August 2nd; and Winter, November 2nd. Photographs must be black andwhite, glossy finish.NOTICE: Dues must be paid by March 1 in order to vote in election of officers and to receive the Springissue of Mississippi Libraries.

Page 3 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesBy Ward SumnerPresident, Jackson Friends of the LibraryFor the Jackson/Hinds Library Systemwardsumner@hotmail.comEditors’ Note: The Jackson Friends ofthe Library was the recipient of the 2004MLA Golden Book Award for the ONEJACKSON ONE BOOK Program. TheGolden Book Award recognizes the mostoutstanding volunteer effort by an individualor group deemed to have contributedmost to library awareness in thepast or present.The Jackson Friends of the Library(JFOL), the volunteer support group forthe eight city branches of the Jackson/Hinds Library System, initiated a city-widereading project in 2003 called ONEJACKSON ONE BOOK. It encouragedJackson area students and adults to readthe same book at the same time during asix-month period, April through October,to share this common experience bycoming together and discussing it, andthen to have the opportunity to hear anoted author.This was an ambitious effort, and weare proud that this project met its goals ofpromoting reading/literacy and use of theJackson/Hinds Library system; bringingthe community together by providingforums for candid discussions of issues ofcommon interest among diverse groupsof Jackson citizens; involving volunteerleaders representative of the communityin the planning, development and implementationof the project; and bringing arenowned author to meet with and speakto area students and adults.OJOB BACKGROUNDThe ONE JACKSON ONE BOOKproject was the first of its type for Jacksonand for Mississippi. A program started inSeattle in 1998, “If All of Seattle Readthe Same Book,” was the model, and thisinitial project has been successfully introducedin over 165 communities in 45other states.A member of the Board of Directorsof the Jackson Friends discovered thisOne Jackson One BookONE JACKSON ONE BOOK Banner at the cornerof Pearl & State Streets in downtown Jackson listsfall activities.concept on the Internet, brought it beforethe full Board in the fall of 2002, and theBoard directed a committee of seven toinvestigate further. After three months,this “core committee” recommended thatthe Board initiate such a project for Jackson,develop a Steering Committee thatcould plan and implement this project,and serve as treasurer and one of thesponsors for ONE JACKSON ONEBOOK.The core group also recommendedthe book selection for 2003, an awardwinningnovel A Lesson Before Dying byinternationally acclaimed African-Americanauthor Ernest J. Gaines. This particularbook had been a popular choice forcitywide reading projects across the U.S.because it has themes of universal interestand concern: how to become a man; theimportance of family and faith, and ofeducation and ethics; the role of strongwomen; and problems of discriminationand mental retardation related to capitalpunishment and the criminal justice system.This novel was also an excellentchoice because it was available in a varietyof formats, which made it more accessibleto even more residents: in bookform, in unabridged audiocassettes, in anHBO movie version, and as a play. Inaddition, there was a short story by Mr.Gaines, “The Sky is Gray,” which alsohad the theme of how to become a manand was appropriate for middle schoolstudents. The library system incorporatedthis story into its Summer Reading Programin June and July.OJOB PROJECTDEVELOPMENTA diverse and representative 80+member Steering Committee was recruited,composed of educational, governmental,service, cultural, religious, andbusiness volunteers from all areas of thecity. The Steering Committee membersdivided into twelve working committeeswhich developed and implemented all theplans and programs for ONE JACKSONONE BOOK. The members workedclosely with the city administration, thelibrary system, public and private schoolsand colleges, bookstores, churches, etc.to insure widespread community support.Over two-thirds of the Jackson FriendsBoard members served on the SteeringCommittee, and the President served asCo-Chair for the project.OJOB PROJECT PROGRAMMINGIn order to make A Lesson BeforeDying easily accessible, the ONE JACK-SON ONE BOOK project purchased forthe eight city library branches 240 copiesof the book, 40 unabridged audio tapes,and 40 HBO movie video tapes, and theJ/HLS purchased additional copies of thebook, video, and audio for the countybranches. One of the working committeesdeveloped and had printed a “Tool Kit’ tohelp individuals and groups understandand discuss the book. Tool Kits weregiven to library patrons who checked outthe book, audio or video from anybranch; and were also given to those whopurchased the book from three of thelarge Jackson bookstores. All informationon the OJOB project as well as the ToolKit could be found and downloaded fromthe J/HLS Web site, www.jhlibrary.com.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 4Two other working committees developedvolunteer rosters of 25 speakersand 12 experienced discussion groupleaders whose services were available toclub and church groups, civic organizations,etc. upon request (form in back ofthe Tool Kit and on the Web site).In order to further promote the bookand area residents’ exposure to it frommid-summer into the fall, the eight librarybranches hosted informal weekly “listeningsessions” to the audiotapes on Tuesdays,and “viewing sessions” of the videotapeson Thursdays.Prior to Mr. Gaines’ appearance inlate October, OJOB working committeesplanned a series of public events relatedto the book for the Jackson community.All programs were open to the public atno charge, and were followed by Q & Asessions.On September 10 City CouncilmanDr. Leslie McLemore spoke at the AnnualMembership Meeting of the JacksonFriends of the Library about the novel andthe importance of the ONE JACKSONONE BOOK project to the community.Millsaps College presented six professionalReaders Theatre performances of theplay version from September 17 through21, and made the novel required readingfor all entering freshmen.The OJOB project sponsored a seriesof five weekly public discussions on consecutiveThursdays at Welty Library. OnSeptember 18, a Creole Tasting washeld, followed by the first discussion,“Setting the Scene.” On the followingThursdays, discussion programs includeda professional reading from the book onSept. 25; “Matriarchs and Mentors: TheRole of Women” on Oct. 2; “Issues ofReligion and Ethics” on Oct. 9; and “OneBook, Many Stories” on Oct. 16. OnOctober 23, the Hinds County Bar Associationconducted a public panel discussionon the criminal justice system andcapital punishment issues at a TownMeeting at the Old Capitol MuseumHouse Chamber. Approximately 370Jackson area residents attended these sixpublic events, and facilities were contributedat no charge by the library systemand the Old CapitolMuseum. In addition,there were numerousdiscussion groups heldby local communityclubs, homeowners’associations, bookclubs, and churchgroups.Ernest J. Gaines visitedJackson to culminatethe ONE JACK-SON ONE BOOK projecton October 30-31.The adult component ofthe project featured twoevening events formetro area residentsfrom young peoplethrough senior citizens.On Thursday in theConcert Hall at BelhavenCollege Centerfor the Arts, he read from and discussedhis novel, A Lesson Before Dying. OnFriday evening at St. Andrew’s Cathedral,he spoke about his writing, discussedinfluences that directed his career as anauthor, and answered questions from apanel of writers and teachers. Over 300adults attended these two events, and thefacilities were donated by Belhaven Collegeand the Cathedral.Mr. Gaines spent the other half of histime in Jackson meeting with middle andhigh school students at two morningevents held at Thalia Mara Auditorium.On Thursday he met with approximately650 middle schoolers who had read,been taught and discussed in the classroomthe short story “The Sky Is Gray.”On Friday he met with over 1200 areahigh school students who had likewisestudied the novel A Lesson Before Dying.The City of Jackson donated use of theauditorium at no charge for these twoevents.The OJOB Steering committee feltthat this educational component of theproject was of utmost importance, andthat Mr. Gaines is an impressive rolemodel that area students could beinspired by and identify with. From hisONE JACKSON ONE BOOK Co-Chairwoman, Ruth Campbell; Co-Chairwoman & Jackson Friends of the Library President, Ward Sumner,and Honorary Chairwoman, Kathy Johnson, wife of Jackson Mayor, HarveyJohnson.ONE BOOK Many Stories panel: Monique Guillory,Assoc. Prof. of English, JSU; Rabbi Debra Kassoff,Institute of Southern Jewish Life; Eric Stringfellow,Clarion-Ledger; Frank Garrison, Attorney; moderator,Donna Ladd, editor, Jackson Free Press. Thepanel presented reminiscences and viewpointsfrom various lives from different backgrounds atone of the OJOB events.own experiences, Mr. Gaines understandsproblems of under-education and theopportunities that a good education andlifelong learning can provide. Until theage of 15, he was raised in a Louisianaparish where there was no high schoolthat he could attend, and where African-Americans were not allowed by law to usethe public libraries.

Page 5 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesOJOB PROJECTCOMMUNITY IMPACTThe ONE JACKSON ONE BOOKproject’s efforts resulted in widespreadcommunity interest in the 2003 bookselection and definitely promoted readingand literacy. The 80+ member SteeringCommittee involved very disparategroups working together for this communityeffort. Holding five public events andhosting “listening” and “viewing” sessionsfor the book at library branchesincreased use and awareness of thelibrary system’s programs and facilities,and from April through October, the systemreported an astonishing 2,631checkouts (book, audio and video versions)from its branches. Area bookstores,which were very supportive of the project,benefited from community interest andfrom involvement of area schools: theyreported sales of over 1,600 copies ofthe novel. Participation by area residentsin the public discussion events was representativeof the diversity of our city, andthe discussions were enthusiastic and candid.And the project brought a notedauthor to visit in Jackson and to meetwith and discuss his works with over 300adults, 650 middle school students, and1200 high school students.The Jackson Friends of the Library isproud to have initiated and participated soactively in this worthwhile communityeffort. We believe that the ONE JACK-SON ONE BOOK project helped to unifyour community by promoting better communicationamong Jackson citizens whilesharing our common experiences andinterests. We are optimistic that this willbe reflected in an increased respect forone another and a willingness to worktogether for the benefit of our city and forall the citizens of the Jackson metro area.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONCITY & STATE BOOK PROJECTS SEE:• Cole, J. Y. (June 2002). CommunitiesReading Together: State Centers for theBook Idea Exchange. The Library ofCongress Information Bulletin, 61(6).Retrieved February 26, 2004, fromhttp://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0206/stateideas.html.• The Center for the Book, Library ofCongress. “One Book Reading PromotionProjects.” Retrieved February 26, 2004,from the Library of Congress Center for theBook Web site: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/one-book.html.• The Seattle Public Library. (2004). “SeattleReads.” Retrieved February 26, 2004, fromthe Seattle Public Library Web site:http://www.spl.lib.wa.us/default.asp?pageID=about_leaders_washingtoncenter_seattlereads.Renew your MLA membership online with PayPal.www.misslib.org/buy/join.htmlOUR SERVICE ISUNSURPASSEDBinding periodicals and rebindingbooks in quality bindings is ourbusiness, and has been since 1912.Less expensive Adhesive Type Bindingsavailable upon request.We take pride that our workmanship,materials and service are amongthe best in the industry.100 Hembree Park DriveP. O. Box 428Roswell, GA 30077-9998Telephone 770-442-5490 FAX 770-442-0183An Equal Opportunity EmployerNational Library Bindery Co. of Ga., Inc.A CERTIFIED LIBRARY BINDERY

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 6ANNUAL EVENTS:Keeping the Library in the Public EyeBy Prima PlauchéLibrary System DirectorHancock County Library Systempplauche@hancock.lib.ms.usEditors’ Note: The Kiln Public Library,Hancock County Library System, receivedthe MLA 2004 Public Relations Award fortheir annual community tree lighting. Theaward recognized the best effort by anindividual library to publicize library servicesaround a single theme or event.Annual events keep a public library inthe public eye. They bring awareness tolibrary services and position the library asa focal point in the community. However,annual events are the most difficultprograms to implement and maintain. Tobe successful, an annual event must fill aneed in a community that will draw alarge audience year after year. Successdepends on selecting the right day andtime, finding the right theme, developingpartners and soliciting volunteers to assistwith the many details of the function.Moreover, the best annual events have“spectacle” appeal.Each library in the Hancock CountyLibrary System (HCLS) holds an annualevent during the Christmas season. TheBay St. Louis Library hosts a two-dayevent around a holiday tree gala with anexhibit of seventy trees decorated by localbusinesses, organizations and schools.Waveland Library hosts an open houseduring the city’s Festival of Lights.Pearlington Library, a joint school/publiclibrary, hosts a gingerbread house-decoratingcontest. These events involve thecommunity and draw people into thelibrary during an historically slow period,the holiday season between Thanksgivingand New Year’s.AN EVENT TO FITTHE COMMUNITYWhen the Kiln Public Library openedin 2000, HCLS staff looked at theLocal businessman Gary Knoblock donates histime and equipment to pick up the tree on hisflatbed truck and decorate it.library’s service area to develop an annualevent theme. Located on Highway 603,the north/south corridor of HancockCounty, Kiln Library serves twenty unincorporatedcommunities.Although the Kiln Library’s servicearea is diverse, studies indicate that familieswith children heavily populate each ofthe communities served. They choose tolive in the area because of the school system,easy access to an interstate highwayfor work and shopping, the rural settingand the feeling of community.A community tree lighting seemed justthe event that would bring people together.The idea expanded to include schoolchoirs for entertainment, an indoor treedecorated by the children of the community,refreshments and a visit from SantaClaus. Representatives of the library’sfunding authorities participate with theirfamilies, and scores of volunteers contributetheir time to the event.A Colonial Christmas is portrayed by the HancockCounty Home School Association on Candy CaneLane.Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves visit with eachchild and hear their wish list.COMMUNITY RESPONSEThis rather simple idea drew 1,800people the first year, leading a local newspaperto proclaim: “Tree Lighting CausesTraffic Jam in Kiln!” Now in its fourthyear, the library event is a focal point inbringing the community together duringthe holiday season and increasing libraryuse during November and December. Inthe weeks leading up to the tree lighting,the Library Foundation of Hancock Countyprovides pre-packaged ornament kitsfor library staff to distribute. Families pickup the ornament packets to make athome and return to put the finished ornamentson an indoor tree. Thus, circulationof library materials and library visitsduring this period has increased fromyear to year.

Page 7 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesTHE EVENTThe second Tuesday of December at6 p.m. is the annual date and time for theevent. The ceremony takes place on thefront plaza of the library. As people gatheron the grounds of the library, the highschool choir sings carols. The programbegins with a welcome by the librarydirector and a holiday blessing from alocal minister. The high school JROTCraises the flag and leads the crowd in thepledge of allegiance. A choir membersings the national anthem. The presidentof the Board of Supervisors, joined by hisfamily, gives holiday greetings.As the choir sings “Oh, ChristmasTree,” county supervisors and their familiescome forward to light the tree.Excitement builds as the choir sings“Here Comes Santa Claus.” The sirensof the fire truck carrying Santa Clausbecome louder as it makes it way downthe highway. With lights flashing and thecrowd cheering, the vehicle pulls into thelibrary parking lot and the doors to thelibrary open. Inside, the children form aline that weaves throughout the library,ending at the entrance to the children’sroom where Santa awaits to hear eachchild’s wish. Parents and grandparentscan enjoy the local elementary schoolchoir performing in the library’s meetingroom and a variety of donated refreshments.Coordinating a large annual eventtakes the time and effort of many librarystaff members and volunteers. The staffnow has a five-page checklist of details andassignments for the event implementation.This includes meeting a few days after thetree lighting to note changes recommendedfor the next year and to write thank youletters to the many volunteers and sponsorswho make the event possible.GENEROUS COMMUNITYSUPPORTIn all, twenty-three businesses andorganizations donate goods, services andmanpower to theevent, which coststhe library very little.The CountySheriff adds extramanpower to directtraffic and parking.To make thelong wait to seeSanta more fun,the Hancock CountyHome SchoolAssociationdesigned a “candy-cane lane” throughwhich the children walk. Along the lane,the home schoolers depict scenes fromChristmas past. Songs and readings fromChristmas stories entertain children in line.The library’s mascot Louie the Alligatorand his friend Boomer the Dog performantics to the delight of the children. HareKrishna Food for Life volunteers preparefive hundred cookies made from wheatgrown and milled in Hancock County. Alocal businessman donates his time, hisemployees and his equipment to transporta fifty-foot tree to the site and decorate it.The volunteer fire department preparesbags with small toys and candy for Santa’sCub Scout elves to give each child.Hundreds wait outside on the plaza for the tree lighting program to begin.SUGGESTED READINGEach year more and more peopleattend the Community Tree Lighting,thus exposing new users to the libraryand its services. Area newspapers, radiostations and the local ABC affiliate televisionstation cover the event. The treelighting has become a community eventthat everyone looks forward to each year.Adding new features each year keeps theevent fresh. Involving the entire communitygives it “spectacle” appeal. Theannual tree lighting keeps the library inthe public eye, brings awareness to libraryservices, and positions the library as afocal point in the community throughoutthe year.• Allen, Judy. Event Planning: The Ultimate Guide to Successful Meetings,Corporate Events, Fundraising Galas, Conferences, Conventions, Incentivesand Other Special Events. Etobicoke, Ontario: John Wiley & Sons CanadaLimited, 2000.• Edsall, Marian S. Library Public Relations, Promotions, andCommunications. Phoenix, Arizona: The Oryx Press, 1980.• Liebold, Louise Condak. Fireworks, Brass Bands, and Elephants: PromotionalEvents with Flair for Libraries and Other Nonprofit Organizations. Phoenix,Arizona: The Oryx Press, 1986.• Wolfe, Lisa. Library Public Relations, Promotions, and Communications.New York: Neal Schuman Publishers, Inc., 1997.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 8Seeking A New Measure of Servicewith LibQUAL+ By Kay L. WallUniversity LibrarianThe University of Southern MississippiKay.Wall@usm.eduIn the fall of 2002, The University ofSouthern Mississippi Libraries elected toparticipate in the 2003 national librarysurvey known as LibQUAL+. The primaryfocus of LibQUAL+ is to assess thequality of service in libraries. Since thesurvey is conducted nationwide, eachquestion has been carefully worded to askcommon questions about library servicesin the most specific way possible. Thequestions asked in 2003 were craftedfrom two previous survey questionnaires.HISTORYThe development of the LibQUAL+survey instrument began as a collaborativeeffort with the Association of ResearchLibraries (ARL) New Measures Initiativeand Texas A&M University. The effortreceived a three-year Fund for the Improvementof Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE)grant from the U.S. Department of Educationthat ended in September of 2003.The 2002-2003 survey period was thethird iteration of the survey instrument, withtwo hundred institutions participating. Over400 institutions have used the LibQUAL+instrument since its inception.GOALSThe LibQUAL+ Web site (http://www.libqual.org/) indicates that the goalsof the LibQUAL+ are to:• Establish a library service qualityassessment program at ARL;• Develop Web-based tools for assessinglibrary service quality;• Develop mechanisms and protocolsfor evaluating libraries;• Identify best practices in providinglibrary service.The LibQUAL+ instrument, as part ofthe New Measures Initiative, is the resultof developing a useful measure of outcomesfor patron satisfaction and serviceexpectation. Previous ARL measureshave been based upon quantitative informationsuch as the number of volumesheld, the number of questions answered,gate counts, and budgets. LibQUAL+seeks to ask those surveyed what theirminimum and maximum expectations areand how their own library relates to thesetwo expectations.HOW IT WORKSThe LibQUAL+ survey is a Webbasedsurvey, and each participating institutioninvites its community to completethe survey within a specified period oftime. The results are collected on a serverdedicated at Texas A&M University.The Web-based survey allows libraries toinvite participants from desired constituenciesto complete the form at anytime. Aggregate data is shared with participatinginstitutions and provides usefulcomparison information.The questions are designed to providefeedback in four areas of library service.The Access to Information category coverslibrary print and non-print resources,library hours, and document delivery.Affect of Service questions cover courteousness,approachability, dependabilityand knowledge of library employees.The Library as Place questions focus onlibrary facilities for study, research andgroup learning. Personal Control questionsinclude accessibility for independentwork, Web site usability, and remoteaccess of library resources.Each of the twenty-five survey questionsare asked in three ways:1) What is my minimum service/resource expectation on a scale of 1-9?2) What is my desired service/resourceexpectation on a scale of 1-9?3) Where does my library score based onthese expectations?SURVEY USEFULNESSMany survey instruments providerespondents the opportunity to rate theperformance, service, and resources oflibraries. The interesting difference in theLibQUAL+ instrument is that the respondent’srating is placed in the context of therespondent’s expectations for minimumand maximum service levels. These levelsrepresent the respondent’s zone of tolerance.The question regarding the respondent’sactual library experience is analyzedrelative to the zone of tolerance.For example, using the LibQUAL+survey instrument, the respondent indicatesthat his minimum expectation forlibrary hours is 7.8. In the second portionof the question, the respondent indicateshis maximum service expectation is9.5. In the final portion of the question,the respondent rates his library’s hours asa 7. From this example, the library isclearly not meeting the respondent’sexpectations. When using a simple scaleof 1-9 to rate library hours, a score of 7appears to be satisfactory. When the ratingis placed in the context of respondentexpectations, the gap in service adequacyis evident.OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONSIn addition to the twenty-two questionsfor rating, each respondent has an opportunityto respond to open-ended questionsspecifically provided for the participatinginstitution. This part of the surveyprovides feedback about collections, personnel,services, and the instrument itselfthat the respondent may feel is not fullyaddressed by the original questions.SURVEY RESULTSRespondents completed 364 onlinesurveys from March 17 to April 5, 2003.The largest group responding was undergraduatestudents (36.54%), followed byfaculty (29.67%), graduates (17.86%)and staff (11.54%). The summary informationfrom the survey is shown in the

Page 9 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesAffect of ServiceLIBQUAL SUMMARY CHARTAccess to InformationMinimum service expectation 6.95University Libraries 7.36Desired service expectation 8.34ACCESS TO INFORMATIONOverall, the Access to Informationcomponent revealed minimal satisfactionwith library resources. Access to informationincludes library materials, servicehours, and timely document delivery. Inthe summary radar chart, UniversityLibraries did not meet the minimumexpectations for the following statements:• “Print and/or electronic journal collectionsI require for my work.”• “The printed library materials I needfor my work.”For the entire group of questions in thiscategory, the result means indicate thefollowing:Minimum service expectation 6.93University Libraries 6.99Desired service expectation 8.37Library as Placeradar chart above. The four dimensionsassessed are defined, and the differencesin a respondent’s minimum expectationand the University Libraries’ rating aregraphically represented.LIBRARY AS PLACEAs the summary radar chart indicates,for all surveyed the Library as Place mostmarkedly exceeds the respondent’s minimumexpectations. The relationshipbetween the minimum expectation andthe perceived rating of the UniversityLibraries is greater than the maximumexpectation and the perceived rating.The large shaded area indicates serviceadequacy in this category. These resultsindicate that the library is a facility conducivefor study, learning, and research.The mean summaries are as follows:Minimum service expectation 6.64University Libraries 7.63Desired service expectation 7.94AFFECT OF SERVICEQuestions in this category focus oncourteous, dependable, knowledgeablelibrary employees. Although the degreePersonal Controlof service adequacy is less than indicatedin the previous aspect, the perceived servicefalls well within the respondents’zone of tolerance. The Affect of Servicecomponent also indicates that the libraryis more than meeting minimum expectations.In this category, the summary datameans are:Minimum service expectation 6.84University Libraries 7.33Desired service expectation 8.18PERSONAL CONTROLSurvey questions in the Personal Controlcomponent concern convenience,Web site usability, and independent learning.In this component, the library isexceeding minimum expectations andwithin the zones of tolerance, but to alesser degree than in previously mentionedcategories.When the access to information surveyresponses are further analyzedaccording to the demographics of undergraduatestudents, graduate students, andfaculty, the negative adequacy gap foraccess to information is more clearly portrayed.The means for each group areshown in the chart below.The most important factor to note isthat while The University of SouthernMississippi’s information resources availablemay be somewhat adequate forundergraduate students, the informationneeds for faculty and graduate studentsare not being minimally addressed.THE SOLUTIONAn influx of funds for library materialswould appear to be the simple solution.For over fifteen years, flat and reducedlibrary materials funding, coupled with anannual serials inflation of near ten percent,has greatly diminished purchasingpower. Within the past ten years, librarybudgets have been significantly impactedUndergraduate Graduate Faculty TotalMinimum service expectation 6.71 7.06 7.04 6.93University Libraries 7.23 6.66 6.80 6.99Desired service expectation 8.01 8.52 8.44 8.37

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 10by the cost of electronic resources. Whileelectronic resources provide a greaternumber of access points, these resourcesare expensive.New funding resources need to be substantial,sustained, and incrementallyincreased for the library to meet the needsof its faculty and students. Funding sourcesmay include state funded support throughthe University E&G budget or externalfunding through endowments and grants.Another consideration is more complex.Close scrutiny of the existingresource use must be addressed as well.Simply put, are we buying the rightthings? Are the resources currently availableno longer appropriate for the collection?Is there a need to discontinue someresources and use funds to purchaseitems more germane to the teaching,learning and research needs of the faculty?Analysis of current expenditures is animportant aspect to maximizingresources. Such analysis includes thestudy of database use, journal use, collectiondevelopment policy revision for academicdepartments, increased awarenessof and redirected support for documentdelivery, and careful assessment of theUniversity’s mission relative to the informationsupport offered via the library.Other areas for evaluating existingresources may also include continuedinnovation, decisions to delay purchases,cooperative collection development, andtaking advantage of publishers’ resourcebundling for greater purchasing power.SUMMARYThe summary information above onlyscratches the surface of the eighty-threepage LibQUAL+ survey report for TheUniversity of Southern Mississippi. Participatingin the ARL LibQUAL+ surveyprovided an excellent opportunity for TheUniversity of Southern MississippiLibraries to utilize a Web-based instrumentdesigned to assess library services andresources for our faculty, staff, and students.In addition, a file of more than 125open-ended responses was providedthrough the Web survey that addressedmore specific Southern Miss libraryresources. Data provided in the full reportincludes analysis for each question byother demographic information, includingthe respondent’s discipline.Even with the abundance of data providedby the LibQUAL+ survey, the local dataindicates that The University of SouthernMississippi Libraries’ greatest deficit is in thearea of library materials support. In particular,print, non-print and electronic resourcesprovided by the University Libraries are notadequately meeting the needs of those whoresponded to the survey.On the national level, aggregate datafor the survey is provided to each participatinginstitution. Assessment of our servicemarks relative to all other participantsis possible and yields some interestinginsights. The summary data indicates thatother colleges and universities are facingsimilar situations in the aspect of access toinformation, while demands for increasedinformation continue to be a major issuefor academic libraries. Information gatheringand analysis of data from those weserve provides leverage for increasedfunding. Reports to university administratorsfrom surveys such as LibQUAL+ areevidence of our constituencies’ beliefs,and serve as useful benchmarks regardinglibrary service. Meaningful improvementof library services is not easily gained withoutgathering feedback from library users.The best way to gain this knowledge is tolisten, analyze what is said, and then createa strategy based on this information.Whether it be surveys, focus groups, electronicsuggestion boxes, or public forums,new ways of listening give new perspectiveson the library and its mission.

Page 11 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesLEGISLATIVE DAY 2004:Mississippi’s Future @ Your LibraryBy Rebecca HollandTechnical ServicesLamar County Library Systemrcholland@lamar.lib.ms.usA gathering of 216 Mississippi librarians,trustees, and Friends attended thisyear’s Library Legislative Day held February3 at the Agricultural Museum andEudora Welty Library in Jackson.The speaker for the morning sessionwas Phoebe D. Smith-Porter, a representativeof the upcoming exhibition, “TheGlory of Baroque Dresden.” Ms. Porterentertained the audience with a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the magnificentjewels, armor, artifacts, paintings,and many other items that make up thisimpressive collection.The items included in “The Glory ofBaroque Dresden” exhibition miraculouslyescaped the 1945 firebombing, whichdevastated the city. The collection wasremoved from this historic city and hiddenin outlying areas. The majority of thecollection was later discovered by Soviettroops and taken to Russia. In 1958 theSoviet government returned the collectionto the city of Dresden. The actual exhibitionwill be held March 1 - September 6,2004, at the Mississippi Arts Pavilion inJackson.MLA President Juanita Flandersopened the afternoon session by recognizingMLA Executive Secretary MaryJulia Anderson for her work on behalf ofMLA this past year.Representative Leonard Morris, Chairof the House Medicaid Committee, wasthe afternoon keynote speaker. Selectedas the “2003 Friend of Education,” Morrisstated that the “library is sometimesthe only research tool many childrenhave.” Speaking from his years of experiencein economic development, Morrisstressed, “the library is a vital organ in themake up of the community” – a communitythat industries and businesses evaluatewhen deciding where to locate. Morrisurged, “Don’t sell yourself short.”Representative Morris continued withinformation on the process that a bill mustgo through in order to become a law,important facts to know before approachinga legislator, and different methods forapproaching legislators regarding fundingand other issues. Acknowledging thevalue of public libraries as a library user,Morris said, “The library serves as a placeof solace for me.”The afternoon program continuedwith the presentation of the 2004 MLAPublic Relations Awards. The afternoonprogram concluded with a legislativeupdate session by Frances Coleman,member of the MLA Legislative Committeeand Dean of Libraries at MississippiState University. Coleman emphasizedthe significance of 42 new members inthe legislature and a new governor. Atthis point much is unknown. How do thenew members and new governor viewlibraries? To what extent they will supportus? Coleman also stressed that all ofthe state’s one-time money is gone. Educationwill not be the first to be fundedthis year; rather education is likely to belast.Librarians, trustees, and Friends gatheredagain that evening at the EudoraWelty Library to welcome legislators tothe annual legislative reception. Over100 legislators and officials attended thisyear’s reception.Legislative Day participants browse materials onthe Glory of Baroque Dresden exhibit.First Regional Library Director Jim Anderson andFirst Regional Library Asst. Director CatherineNathan talk with Legislative Day Speaker RepresentativeLeonard Morris.Pamela Pridgen, Director of The Library of Hattiesburg,Petal, and Forrest County (r) speaking withPhoebe D. Porter, guest speaker representing theGlory of Baroque Dresden exhibit.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 12MISSISSIPPI LIBRARYASSOCIATION2004 LEGISLATIVE GOALSIncrease public awareness of the roleof all types of libraries in the educational,informational and economicdevelopment of the state.Secure increased funding for suchstatewide library cooperative efforts asMAGNOLIA, which provides Mississippianswith access to electronicinformational databases through allpublicly-supported libraries.Secure legislative and executive branchsupport of full funding for the MississippiLibrary Commission’s budget, includingdirect state aid for public libraries.Secure legislative and executive branchsupport for bond funding for capitalimprovement needs in public libraries.Strengthen K-12 library programsthrough legislative efforts and relationshipswith State Department of Educationofficials.Secure legislative and executive branchsupport for funding for library programsin Mississippi’s community collegesand institutions of higher learning.Advance library issues through developmentof relationships with countyand municipal associations.Identify and monitor any legislative initiativesthat pertain to or impact thedelivery of library services to Mississippians,including issues related to funding,library governance, intellectualfreedom, access to information, andconfidentiality in the use of librarymaterials and services.Monitor federal activities affectinglibraries and encourage passage ofneeded legislation.Raise awareness of the need for professionallibrarians and qualified staffin libraries.The MLAPublic Relations AwardsPUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDSMid-Mississippi Regional Library SystemBest year-round coordinated effort by a group of libraries topublicize library services in general. (Accepting the awardare (l. to r.) Betty Hathcock, Durant Public Librarian; MayEllen Ellis, Carthage Public Librarian; Linda Bounds, WalnutGrove Public Librarian; Yvonne Clark, Tchula PublicLibrarian; Linda Milner, Assistant Director; Laura Lawson,Lexington Public Librarian; Angie Burrell; West PublicLibrarian; Carolyn Pilgrim, Attala County librarian; andRichard O. Greene, System Director.)GOLDEN BOOK AWARDJackson Friends of the LibraryMost outstanding volunteer effort by an individual or groupdeemed to have contributed most to library awareness in thepast or present. (Accepting the award are (l. to r.) EllenMcLean, Steering Committee; Carol McCallum, Exec. Director,Jackson-Hinds Library System; and Ruth Davis, YouthServices Supervisor.)PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDSEudora Welty Library (Jackson-Hinds Library System)Best year-round effort by an individual library to publicize libraryservices in general. (Accepting the award are Karen Henderson,Youth Services Assistant and Ruth Davis, Youth Services Supervisor.)PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDSFirst Regional LibraryBest coordinated effort of several libraries to publicize libraryservices around a single theme or event. (Accepting the award isJim Anderson, Director of First Regional Library System.)PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDSKiln Public Library (HancockCounty Library System)Best effort by an individual library topublicize library services around a singletheme or event. (Accepting the award isPrima Plauché, Director of HancockCounty Library System.)PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARDSJames Corley, Library Trustee and ArtistSpecial recognition for artistic creation of the “Storytime” statue atthe Lucedale-George County Public Library branch of theJackson-George Regional Library System. (Jim Corley with hiswife Nancy and granddaughter Isabell. Photo credit: Janet Smith.)

Page 13 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesA Look at Legislative Day 2004From the Oxford/Lafayette CountyBranch: Left to Right: Laura BethWalker, Oxford Reference Librarian;Senator Gray Tollison; MississippiLibrary Commissioner Jolee Hussey;Representative Jack Gadd; NoraDalton, Lafayette County LibraryTrustee; Dorothy Fitts, Oxford HeadLibrarian; and Nancy Opalko, OxfordChildren’s Librarian.Left to right: MLCBoard MemberDr.Glenda Segars,RepresentativeSteve Holland, andRepresentativeJessica SibleyUpshaw.Representative Joey Filligane,Laurel-Jones Public LibraryDirector Paulette Entrekin,Children’s Librarian JanJohnson and Assistant DirectorMary Louise Breland.Dr. Glenda Segars, ICC andState Library Board Member,and Speaker of the House BillyMcCoy.Left to right: Cindy Jamerson, Itawamba County Branch of LeeItawamba Library System; Rep. Jamie Franks; William McMullin,Northeast Regional Library System.Representative Gary Staples andHancock County Library SystemDirector Prima Plauché.Rep. Bennie Turner and Mary Helen Waggoner,Bryan Library, West Point, Tombigbee RegionalLibrary System.Left to Right: Friends of Mississippi Libraries/Eastern Region Representative ElizabeithAydelott, Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) Board of Commissioners Chair Jo AnneReid, MLC Executive Director Sharman B. Smith, Hinds Community College Dean ofLibrary Services Dr. Juanita Flanders, and Mississippi State University Dean of LibraryServices Frances Coleman.Left to Right: Senator James Shannon Walley; Pearl Odom; PatsyBrewer, Director, Waynesboro-Wayne County Library; RepresentativeJoe Taylor; Rose Waller, Waynesboro-Wayne County Library;Representative Randy Pierce; Rebecca Campbell Holland, LamarLibrary System.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 14MLA 2004 Officer NomineesThe following slate of nominees forMLA officers has been recommended bythe Nominating Committee and wasapproved by the Executive Board at theFebruary 3, 2004 meeting. On April 1,ballots were mailed by the Election Committeeto individual members whose duesare paid for 2004 or who hold life memberships.Ballots should be marked andreturned to the Election Committee byMay 1 in envelopes supplied by the committee.Candidates and the ExecutiveBoard will notified of the results of theelection by May 15. Look for the electionresults in the summer issue of MississippiLibraries. Note: Newly elected officerswill take office on January 1, 2005.Vice-President/President-ElectCATHERINE A. NATHANEducation: M.S.L.S., The University ofTennessee in Knoxville, 1977; B.A.,Birmingham-Southern College, 1975.Professional Experience: AssistantDirector for Public Services, First RegionalLibrary, Hernando, MS, 1994 to present.Branch Manager for the Bartlett,Arlington, and Cossitt Branches, AssistantDirector, Shelby State Community CollegeBranch, and Assistant DepartmentHead, Literature, Philosophy and ReligionDepartment, Main Library of theMemphis/Shelby County Public Libraryand Information Center, Memphis, TN,1982-1993. Reference and InterlibraryLoan Librarian, North Alabama CooperativeLibrary System/Huntsville-MadisonCounty Public Library, Huntsville, AL,1980-1982; General Reference Librarian,Catherine A. NathanUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleLibrary, 1979-1980; Reference Librarian,Chatham-Effingham-Liberty RegionalLibrary headquartered in Savannah, GA,1977-1979.Professional Activities: ALA: Member,1977 to present. PLA: Member.MLA: Member, 1994 to present; Committees:National Library Week. Servedas Chair, Public Library Section. Member,Steering Committee of the MAGNO-LIA Project. Currently serving asStatewide Coordinator for Training andCo-Chair, Publicity Committee. Other:Vice President-President-elect, DeSotoCounty Literacy Council; Board Member,Tate County Literacy Council; President,North Mississippi Literacy Alliance. AdvisoryBoard for the School of Library andInformation Science, University of SouthernMississippi: Member. Selected as aconferee from State of Tennessee toattend the ALA Intellectual FreedomLeadership Development Institute, Chicago,1988. Play Santa Claus and Cat inthe Hat for children of all ages whenasked and most especially when bribedwith cookies.Visit our Website:www.misslib.orgMary Helen WaggonerVice-President/President-ElectMARY HELEN WAGGONEREducation: M.L.S., University of Alabama,1980; B.S. Mississippi State Collegefor Women, 1967 in Library Science,A.A. Wood Junior College, 1965.Professional Experience: Director,Tombigbee Regional Library System,1998 to present; Coordinator of TechnicalServices, Reference and Documents,Mississippi University for Women, 1990-1998; Media Director, Division of Nursing,Mississippi University for Women,1984-1990; Assistant Director, Columbus–LowndesPublic Library System,1967-1983.Professional Activities: ALA: Member,1998 to present. PLA: Member,various years. MLA: 1990 to present andother various years.Publications and Presentation: Libraryinformation articles and columns in localnewspapers. “If We Can Do It, You CanDo It; Book Clubs at TRL,” presentation at2003 MLA. Numerous presentations ofbook reviews and library talks to “Friends”groups, Rotary Club, nursing homes, etc.Honors: Alpha Beta Alpha, Beta PhiMu, Red Rose Award from Alpha IotaChapter, Delta Kappa Gamma.

Page 15 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesPaul C. Cartwright Linda Milner Carol D. GreenSecretaryPAUL C. CARTWRIGHTEducation: M.L.S., University of SouthernMississippi, 1988. B.A. in History,Hendrix College, Conway, Ark., 1986.Professional Experience: Director ofthe B.S. Ricks Memorial Library in YazooCity, 2003 to present; Director of Copiah-JeffersonLibrary System 1993-2003;Asst. Director of the Madison CountyLibrary System 1988-1993.Professional Activities: MLA: PublicLibrary Section Chair; Archives and HistoryCommittee, Chair 1998; ConservationCommittee; Authors Awards Committee,late 1998; Scholarship Committee: PeggyMae Silent Auction Chair 2001-2004;MLA Legislative Committee 1993-1997,1999-2002; MPLAC President – 1994;MLA New Members Round Table Chair1989-1990; Chair NLW Committee MLA1993. Other: Currently active as a boardmember of Yazoo County Chamber ofCommerce; Board member of Yazoo MainStreet Committee; Chairman of Yazoo CityHistoric Preservation Commission; Memberof Yazoo City Lions and Rotary Clubs,Member of Advisory Board for the Servicesfor the Blind and Physically Handicappedof the Mississippi 2003-2005.Publications: “Director as Politician,”Mississippi Libraries, Vol. 58, No. 1,Spring 1994.Honors: Community Service Award,Wesson Chamber Commerce, 2002.SecretaryLINDA MILNEREducation: M.L.S., University of Alabama,1977; B.S., Mississippi State University,1974.Professional Experience: AssistantDirector, Mid-Mississippi Regional LibrarySystem, Kosciusko, MS, 1987 to present;Extension Librarian, MMRLS,1978-1987; Collection DevelopmentLibrarian, MMRLS, 1977; Attala CountyLibrarian, 1975-1976; BookmobileLibrarian, MMRLS, 1974-1975.Professional Activities: MLA:Member, 1978 to present; Committees:MLA Local Arrangement ConventionChairman 1991; Chairman, NationalLibrary Week 1992; Awards Committee,member; Legislative Committee, member;Continuing Education, member;Nominating Committee, member.Honors: Regional Delegate to the Governor’sConference on Library and InformationServices, 1979; 1992 MLCDirector’s Award for Outstanding Serviceto the Mississippi Library Community;Coordinated and received 24 years ofMLA Service Awards for “Best Year-Round Coordinated Effort by a Group ofLibraries to Publicize Library Services inGeneral” for the Mid-Mississippi RegionalLibrary System.TreasurerCAROL D. GREENEducation: M.L.S., The University ofSouthern Mississippi, 1991; B.S., TheUniversity of Southern Mississippi, 1983.Professional Experience: SerialsLibrarian, The University of SouthernMississippi, 1992 to present; LibraryClerk II, The University of Southern Mississippi,1986-1992.Professional Activities: ALA: Member,1990-1998; Committees: ALA-NMRT Orientation. SELA: Member,1994-1997. Piney Woods RegionalLibrarians’ Association: Charter member,1996-1999. North American SerialsInterest Group (NASIG): Member,1993 to present. Committees: Awardsand Recognition, 2000 to present;NASIG conference reporter, 1999 to present;NASIG mentor, 2001 to present.MLA: Member, 1990 to present. Conferencecommittees: Exhibits, co-chair,2001-02, chair, 2003; Hospitality, chair,1999; Poster Sessions, chair, 2004;Registration. Committees: Awards, chair,2000; Fiscal Management; Handbook,chair, 1996; Intellectual Freedom, chair,1999; Long Range Planning; Membership,chair, 1998; National LibraryWeek; Nominating; Publications; SilentAuction, chair, 1999. New MembersRound Table, chair, 1995-96. AdvertisingEditor for Mississippi Libraries,1993-95. Other: Beta Phi Mu InternationalLibrary Science Honor Society,1991 to present; Beta Psi Chapter, Sec-

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 16Professional Experience: SchoolLibrary Media Specialist, Quitman UpperElementary Library, Quitman, MS, 1994-Present; Principal, Quitman Jr. HighSchool, Quitman, MS, 1988-1994;Assistant Principal, Quitman Jr. HighSchool, Quitman, MS, 1979-1988;Teacher (math, science, English, & socialstudies), Quitman Jr. High School, Quitman,MS, 1974-1979.retary/Treasurer, 1993-94; President-Elect, 2000; President, 2001. USMSLIS Alumni Association: Treasurer,1997-98. University Libraries InternalAllocations Committee, 2002 to present.TreasurerChuck McClureCHUCK MCCLUREEducation: Library Certification, LivingstonUniversity, 1996; M. Ed., MississippiState University, 1978; B.S., TexasA&I University, summa cum laude,1974; A.A., Del Mar College, 1972;Other: Graduate, Community College ofthe Air Force, 1994; Mississippi AirNational Guard, 1984-2003; U.S. AirForce, 1966-1970.Professional Activities: ALA: Member,1994-Present; Statistics Committee,1999-2000. MLA: Member, 1994-Present; Vice Chair, School LibrariesSection, 1996; Chair, School LibrariesSection, 1997; Committees: Hospitality,Mississippi Authors Awards, & Registration.Other: Mississippi SchoolLibrary Standards Committee.Presentations: “How to Improve Circulationin a School Library,” LAMP Tour,Meridian, MS, 1995; “What Makes aGreat Library,” Lamp Tour, Tupelo,Grenada, Greenville, Jackson, & Meridian,1996; “How Sweet It Is – The Use ofthe AR Program in a School,” MississippiReading Council, Biloxi, 1993.Honors: Teacher of the Year, 1994-1995; Phi Delta Kappa, Educator HonorSociety, 1991; Honor Student, U.S. AirForce Historian Class, Maxwell AFB, AL,1990; Phi Theta Kappa, Jr. CollegeHonor Society, 1972.CALL FOR POSTER SESSIONSPoster Session applications for the2004 MLA Conference are now being accepted.Apply byJuly 30, 2004E-mail an abstract of no more than 250 words to:Carol GreenEmail: carol.green@usm.eduIn a separate paragraph, please note any equipment or special set-up requirements.

Page 17 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesThe Web in ReviewEdited by Steven Turner, The University of Southern MississippiWEB SITES FORCOLLECTIONDEVELOPMENT ANDACQUISITIONSBy Malachi MartinPrint Cataloging SpecialistThe University of Southern MississippiMalachi.Martin@usm.eduHere are a few handy Web sites concerningcollection development and acquisitions.While my overall concern here iscollection development and management,I recognize that it is intimately bound upwith the acquisitions dimension of a library.I’ve tried to keep that fact in mind throughouteach of my descriptive reviews.ACQWEBhttp://acqweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/AcqWeb is an excellent resource onacquisitions and collection development.An internal link (/acqweb/cd_policy.html)furnishes a listing of links to the collectiondevelopment policies and procedures ofnumerous academic, public, school,state, and university libraries. Of interestis a news section that offers updates onAcqWeb developments and activities,sites under development, and other newsitems related to acquisitions and collectiondevelopment. One section offers avariety of links on in-print and out-of-printitems and their procurement. A usefullisting of vendors and publishers is organizedalphabetically, geographically, andby e-mail and subject area (humanities,law, social sciences, etc.). Another directorylists a wide array of organizations andassociations nationally and globally.Librarians and researchers desiring generalinformation will also note that additionallinks are provided for specific areas ofspecial concern to acquisitions and collectiondevelopment, including gifts andexchanges as well as preservation andserials, to name a few. AcqWeb maintainsits own e-mail list and provides a searchengine for those seeking specific topics.ARL COLLECTIONS PROGRAMhttp://www.arl.org/collect/Organized and maintained by theAssociation of Research Libraries (ARL),the Collections Program supports memberlibraries – university and non-university– by providing resources, coordinatingfunding and support, and facilitating collaboration.The Web site maintains a varietyof useful links, internal and external,running the gamut from recent trends togeneral issues in user access and collectiondevelopment. An interesting list ofrecent publications offers a window ontorecent trends in the acquisition of materialsand media in libraries overseas. A coupleof additional morsels, including informationon a moderated collection developmente-mail list and internal and externallinks to a variety of special collection sites,may whet the librarian’s appetite. Itshould also be noted that ARL sponsors“collection analysis projects” for individuallibraries, culminating in an in-depth ARLtask force analysis of the library collection’sstrengths and weakness. As withmost things in life, it costs money. Overall,I found this site to be fairly interestingand would recommend it.ASSOCIATION FOR LIBRARYCOLLECTIONS ANDTECHNICAL SERVICEShttp://www.ala.org/ala/alcts/alcts.htmA branch of the American LibraryAssociation (ALA), the Association forLibrary Collections and Technical Services(ALCTS) monitors the policies of librariesnationwide with respect to acquisitions,collection development, and cataloging.Its “Collections” internal link, for example,lists some books pertinent to the topic,and provides a few links to relevant discussiongroups. Web publication listings ona variety of acquisitions and collectiondevelopment topics are provided. A newssubsection provides some updates onALCTS and ALA activities and events,and an online newsletter keeps subscribersand members informed. The site is amust-see for not only the acquisitions orcollection development professional, butalso those interested in collaboration andin continuing education opportunities.COLLECTION DEVELOPMENTTRAININGhttp://www.dlapr.lib.az.us/cdt/index.htmThis site offers a wealth of information.While it is a sort of primer for librariansneeding to develop collection developmentskills, it also has much to offer tothe seasoned librarian who has alreadylived through the heat of battle. It isgeared towards public libraries, but muchof the material is of potential value toother library settings as well. It is fundedby Arizona State Library, Archives, andPublic Records (http://www.lib.az.us/),among others. The site offers an introductionto basic concepts in collectiondevelopment, a general overview, andissues of policy development pertinent tocommunity-specific needs. A page onmaterials selection breaks down librarymedia by format, subdivided further intolists of links, including a description andadditional references. The books category,for example, expounds on selectionand evaluation criteria and tools. For theresearcher or librarian interested in otheraspects of the acquisitions and collectiondevelopment cycle, highly enriching Webpages await. In addition to the acquisitionscomponent, Web pages treat issuesof intellectual freedom, weeding, andpreservation. Without a doubt, this Website is a rich and comprehensive resourcefor a fledgling or veteran collection developmentor acquisitions professional.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 18COLLECTION DEVELOPMENTAND THE INTERNEThttp://lcweb.loc.gov/acq/colldev/handbook.htmlThis site is an online handbook oncollection development created by theLibrary of Congress and linked fromits collection development page(http://lcweb.loc.gov/acq/devpol/).Although it is no longer updated, the sitestill provides some general information oncollection development and a few externallinks (some of which are reviewed here).Information on e-mail lists, a brief literaturereview, and an extended section dealingwith recent issues in online catalogusage are also given.COPING WITH CHALLENGEShttp://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/coping_inf.htmlPublic and school libraries sometimesface challenges to, and criticism of, certainitems in their collections. Whateverthe underlying motivation of these challenges,they sometimes culminate in theremoval of the item in question. Weedingas censorship has long been the sorethumb of both the American LibraryAssociation and many a professional.This Web page, maintained by ALA,explores all facets of the issue, offeringstrategies and tips for dealing with challengesposed to a given library’s collection.A useful Q&A underlies ALA’sphilosophical perspective concerning collectiondevelopment and diversity, andoffers clarification on potentially controversialpositions. Support groups are listed,as well as references to publishedmaterials on the topic. As with anythingALA has to say on the issue of intellectualfreedom and the integrity of a library’scollection, this page is worth a perusal.See also ALA’s Diversity in CollectionDevelopment which clarifies ALA’s collectiondevelopment philosophy, atwww.ala.org/alaorg/oif/div_coll.htmlINTERNET LIBRARY FORLIBRARIANShttp://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/acqsercd.htmInternet Library is a portal designed forgeneral research by library users as wellas librarians. “Acquisitions, Serials, andCollection Development” links lead to alist of external links, which are organizedinto at least a title and a description.Users will find library policies and procedures,relevant newsgroups and e-maillists, tools for collection development andacquisitions librarians, and electronic journals.The procurement of foreign materialsis also given consideration, with linksto appropriate vendors. Want to knowsomething about book exchange or thelicensing of electronic resources? Severalexternal links are provided. Under “ReferenceTools,” topics can be exploredeither by utilizing the provided menu orby exploiting the site’s search engine. Iwould recommend this site for at least aquick browse if not a prolonged perusal.WEB SITES FOR LIBRARYJOB SEEKERSBy Nathan G. McArthurGraduate StudentSchool of Library and Information Scienceand Department of HistoryThe University of Southern Mississippiamericaneurope@yahoo.comMany people think a computer canprovide anyone with anything. Can mycomputer find me a job? Well, not exactly,but a computer can find 500,000 Websites that each promise to have informationabout the perfect job. Therefore, thequestion becomes, how can I best use mycomputer to find a job? The Web sitesreviewed below are offered as examples ofbroad categories of sites with job postings.

Page 19 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesLIBRARY JOB POSTINGS ONTHE INTERNEThttp://www.libaryjobpostings.orgThis Web site has over 400 links tojob listings in a variety of library specialties,and users can search by job locationor specialty. Clicking on almost any linkon the home page leads to a hodgepodgelisting of available jobs; this is the weaknessof the site. The listings are arrangedalphabetically, but organizing them bystate or library system would be better.Links may lead to a job posting, a Website or series of sites, a series of otherlinks, or nowhere. Often, the final destinationis not worth the time it took to getthere. This site appears friendly and easilynavigable, but don’t be fooled. I don’trecommend it.LISJOBS.COM – JOBS FORLIBRARIANS AND INFORMATIONPROFESSIONALShttp://www.Lisjobs.comLisjobs is a useful and easy-to-useWeb site. Job listings are posted by dateand location, and even include “non-US”offerings. Each link on the home pageleads to well-organized and useful information,and the design is uncluttered,with links on the left and text on theright. Lisjobs covers the same informationas LibraryJobPostings.com, but in abetter format. Overall this is an excellentWeb site, and I highly recommend it.WYOMING LIBRARYASSOCIATIONhttp://www.wyla.org/The Wyoming Library Association’sofficial Web site is an excellent exampleof what many state library associationsoffer job seekers. The quality of eachassociation’s Web site varies, but mostare worth an examination. This site presentslots of information in an uncluttereduser-friendly format. The WLA’s vision,mission, purpose, and beliefs are printedin the middle of the page, and links arelisted in columns on both sides of thepage. All of the links on the home pagework and lead to useful, well-organizedinformation. To find a list of availablejobs, click “WLA Job Board.” This leadsdirectly to a detailed list of all library jobsavailable within the Wyoming LibraryAssociation. This is an excellent site.THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OFLIBRARY AND INFORMATIONSCIENCE UNIVERSITYOF ILLINOIS ATURBANA-CHAMPAIGNhttp://www.lis.uiuc.eduHere is an excellent example of thejob placement assistance many library andinformation science schools provide theirgraduates. The home page is unclutteredand easily navigable. A wide array ofwell-organized categories is availableunder “Resources,” but the link most usefulto job searchers is “Employment Websites and Listservs.” “This is not an allinclusive list to online resources for findingLIS-related jobs…, but rather a list ofgeneral sites that have collection of LISjob postings.” All of the links work andmany lead to the Web sites of well-knowninstitutions. This is an excellent site andwell worth a visit by the job seeker.LIBRARY SPOThttp://www.LibrarySpot.comThis is an amazing Web site. Thelinks to resources are listed down the leftside of the main page. The remainder ofthe screen presents only necessary informationin a neat and user-friendly style,and each link leads to high-quality information.Users can search ALA job listings,Library Journal classifieds,LibraryJobs.com, employment services,or specialty libraries. The only problemwith this Web site is pop-up ads and banners.However, the ad banners are integratedinto the design of the site in a waythat poses little interference. Overall, Ihighly recommend this site.LIBRARYSUPPORTSTAFF.COMhttp://www.LibrarySupportStaff.comAn interesting and expansive site withlots of information about the profession,this site has information about “staff creations,web publishing, citations, finding ajob, reference sites, library journals, education4yousites, on the job help, sites forstaff,” and more. Each link leads to plentyof information useful to both new graduatesand veteran job seekers. The organizationof the links is poor and the fonton many pages is small, but these weaknessesare only a minor distraction. Mostusers will have no trouble finding usefulinformation, and I recommend this Website to any job seeker.MLA 2004 Conference PreviewThe Mississippi Library Association annual conference will be held October 19 – 22 at the NatchezConvention Center. The theme for this year’s conference is “Explore History Embrace the Future @ your library.”Where better to meet and greet fellow professionals than the place where the state’s history began, Natchez? The Isleof Capri Casino Hotel will serve as the conference hotel; the Ramada Inn, as well as downtown Bed and Breakfasts,will also be available for any necessary additional rooms.It is not too late to complete a Committee preference form, or to volunteer in some way. If you don’t see yourname listed among the 2004 Conference Committees’ members and you submitted a form, please forgive theomission. Correspondence may be sent to scassagne@naw.lib.ms.us.

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 20SELA WORKSHOPComing to Orlando for the 2004 ALAAnnual Conference? Plan on attending“Assessment in Libraries: Practicalapproaches for creating a continuousassessment environment” on Friday, June25, 2004, sponsored by SELA andFACRL.This popular one-day workshop developsthe concepts of creating workableassessment plans based upon nationalstandards and an institution’s individualmission statement. The presenters will beDr. Bill Nelson, Library Director at AugustaState University and Dr. Bob Fernekes,Information Services Librarian at GeorgiaSouthern University. They have servedon the ACRL College Libraries Section(CLS) Standards Committee, which Dr.Nelson currently chairs. Both have beenappointed to the new ACRL College andResearch Libraries Standards Task Force,where the CLS, ULS, and CJCLS sectionsare working together for a commonset of standards for all academic libraries.Nelson and Fernekes have also coauthoreda text on the subject, titled Standardsand Assessment for AcademicLibraries: a Workbook (ACRL, 2002).As details about the workshop becomeavailable, they will be posted on the SELAWeb site http://sela.lib.ucf.edu/. Lookfor complete information in the springissue of The Southeastern Librarian.MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITYAND THE NATIONALAGRICULTURAL LIBRARYA unique collaboration between MississippiState and the Maryland-basedNational Agricultural Library is allowingMississippi researchers easier and fasteraccess to the most recent science-basedagricultural information available. In arecent campus ceremony, University PresidentCharles Lee and NAL director PeterR. Young officially inaugurated the first-ofits-kindpartnership between the Bethesdafacility – the world’s leading repository ofagricultural materials – and MSU. “Thisdemonstration project will provide MSUfaculty members, researchers and studentsthe ability to access leading resourceselectronically,” Lee said. “Through NAL,News Briefsit brings the latest, most up-to-dateresearch literally to their desktops.”Called DigiTop – or Digital Desktop –the service now being demonstrated atMitchell Memorial Library on the MSUcampus provides full-text electronicaccess to resources in the agricultural sciences,as well as reference and articledelivery services. The project also is testingthe feasibility, costs and effectivenessof the system, with the goal of potentiallyexpanding to other universities. “MississippiState was selected because of its significantagricultural instructional andresearch programs,” Young said. MSUDean of Libraries Frances N. Colemansaid DigiTop “will greatly enhance ourability to support instructional, researchand extension programs by electronicallylinking us with NAL, the principal U.S.source for information about food, agricultureand natural resources.” For MSUagricultural researchers spread amongMississippi’s 82 counties, the project willmean easy access to thousands of currentjournals and newspapers, said VanceWatson, MSU vice president for agriculture,forestry and veterinary medicine.“Electronic access through DigiTop willimprove research productivity of MSUagricultural researchers and will ultimatelybenefit all Mississippians,” Watson added.The MSU Libraries already participatesin the NAL’s Agricultural OnlineAccess, or AGRICOLA, which containsbibliographic records of materialsacquired by NAL and cooperating institutionsin agricultural and related sciences.The National Agricultural Library(http://www.nal.usda.gov) is part of theAgricultural Research Service, the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s primary agencyfor scientific study. For more information,contact Frances N. Coleman at (662)325-7661; Vance H. Watson, at 325-3005; or Len Carrey, at (302) 504-6778.First Regional Library System’s Camera Brigade,pictured left to right: Catherine Nathan (FRL Headquarters),Millee Wrenn (Tunica), Stewart Carpenter(Walls), Tenise Faulkner (Coldwater), BarbaraEvans (Batesville), Marty Coleman (FRL Headquarters),Charlene Bradford (Sardis) and Linda Jowers(Southaven). FRL received a grant that provideddigital cameras for each branch.CENTER FOR THE BOOKANNOUNCES STATEWIDEREADING INITIATIVEThe Mississippi Library Commission -Mississippi Center for the Book is pleasedto announce “Mississippi Reads,” astatewide reading initiative. Scheduled tobegin April 1, this project is designed toencourage Mississippians to read and discussthe same book during 2004. Bookdiscussions, programs, and other themerelatedactivities will be held in publiclibraries around the state.Susan Vreeland’s Girl in HyacinthBlue was selected to complement the“Glory of Baroque Dresden” exhibitioncurrently on display in Jackson. Girlshares the same historical theme and periodas the exhibition. The book offers readersof all ages many opportunities forlearning through history, art, and literature.Vreeland presents a beautiful andhaunting story centering on a Dutch paintingof a young girl, possibly an undiscoveredVermeer.Ms. Vreeland will visit Mississippi on:■ Tuesday, March 23, 7:00 p.m. –Oxford Public Library, Oxford■ Wednesday, March 24, 7:00 p.m. –Arts Pavilion, Jackson■ Thursday, March 25, 11:30 a.m. –The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal &Forrest County, Hattiesburg“Mississippi Reads” is a partnership ofthe Mississippi Humanities Council, theMississippi Commission for InternationalCultural Exchange, Inc., and Friends ofMississippi Libraries, Inc.The Mississippi Center for the Book is adivision of the Mississippi Library Commissionand an affiliate of the Library ofCongress Center for the Book program.The mission of the Center for the Book is tocelebrate Mississippi’s rich literary heritagethrough reading, writing and the book arts.

Page 21 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesAbout BooksMary Stanton. Freedom Walk: Mississippior Bust. Jackson, MS: UniversityPress of Mississippi, 2003. 254 pp.$28.00 hardcover.Mary Stanton’sFreedom Walk isa well-researchedand well-writtenbook that bringsheroic and almostforgotten events inthe early part ofCivil Rights Movementback to ourmemory. Thebook consists of two parts. The first part,The Postman’s Walk, is about BillMoore, a white postman, who set outfrom Chattanooga, Tennessee on April21, 1963, and intended to walk alongUS Highway 11 through Georgia, Alabama,and on to Jackson, Mississippi, todeliver a letter appealing for racial toleranceto Governor Ross Barnett. Threedays into his walk, he was shot dead onHighway 11 outside Attala, Alabama.Floyd Simpson, a white Alabama grocerand a Klansman, was charged withMoore’s murder. Simpson was eventuallyacquitted. The second part of thebook, The Freedom Walk, is about awhite college student, Sam Shirah, whoupon hearing the news of Moore’s murder,led five black and four white activistsfrom the Student Nonviolent CoordinatingCommittee and Congress of RacialEquality into Alabama to finish Moore’swalk. They were badly beaten and jailedoutside Gadsden, Alabama. Four subsequentattempts to complete the postman’smarch were unsuccessful.The book is more than a plain storyabout these events. Through the journalthat Bill Moore kept during the Walk,along with interviews and extensive newspaperand newsreel reports, Mary Stantonhas documents this overlooked civil rightsfreedom walk as seen through the eyes ofMoore, Shirah, and Simpson. She examinesthe complicated life of Moore as “aneconomic failure, a loner, and an atheistin a society which distrusted all three.”She traces his mental trips that led him toventure into a freedom walk in the dayswhen white activism was not only unfashionablebut outright dangerous. Throughthe experience of Shirah, she explores theironic impact of white activism and thestruggle within the movement itself. Thisbook helps to clarify some distortions andoversimplifications that can obscure ourunderstanding of this turbulent time.This well-documented historicalaccount is a fine addition to the history ofthe Civil Rights Movement and to the historyof the South. It is highly recommendedto all readers who are interestedin the Civil Rights Movement and Southernhistory.Daisy ChengCatalog LibrarianUniversity of MississippiKatagiri, Yasuhiro. The MississippiState Sovereignty Commission: CivilRights and States’ Rights. Jackson: UniversityPress of Mississippi, 2001. 348pp. $42.00.Yasuhiro Katagiri’swork is aninformation-richaccount of theyears following the1954 Brown v.the Board of Educationdecisionthat precipitatedthe establishmentof the MississippiSovereignty Commission in 1956 until itsdissolution in 1973. The SovereigntyCommission’s roles as watchdog agencyand promoter of segregation are carefullydocumented by Katagiri. By using theonly existing records of such a state agency(similar agency records from otherSouthern states were destroyed), Katagiriprovides an accurate recount of Mississippi’sdarkest historical period. Spanninggubernatorial reigns from Coleman toBarnett to Waller, the changes in theSovereignty Commission’s activities andfocus under Director Erle K. Johnstonprovide insight into the Civil RightsMovement.This work is an important referencetool for Mississippi history, and its footnotesand index are extensive. The MississippiState Sovereignty Commissionbrings life to what could have otherwisebeen dry historical documentation, butKatagiri’s descriptions are not sensationalized.The Commission’s operationaldetails provide the perspective of the CivilRights Movement from an angle seldomseen. For example, on the subject ofblack informants, the focus is on theiractivities rather than the information theygathered. This approach keeps the readerfocused on the historical context andsignificance of the Commission and howit operated.Recommended for all public librariesand academic libraries as an importantchronicle of Mississippi’s history. Anothertitle covering some of this era is Neil R.McMillen’s The Citizens’ Council: OrganizedResistance to the Second Reconstruction,1954-1964.Kay L. WallUniversity LibrarianThe University of Southern MississippiLee, Joe. On the Record. Mississippi:Dogwood Press, 2002. 271 pp. $19.95.hardcoverAt the age of34, Maureen Lewishas worked herway up throughthe ranks tobecome the ConsumerProtectionDirector for theMississippi AttorneyGeneral’sOffice. When herConsumer Protection Act is signed intolaw, allowing her department to take

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 22stronger actions toward fighting conartists and deceptive business practiceswithin the state, she investigates a largecar dealership as her first target.Unknown to Maureen, the operator ofthis particular dealership is involved in anembezzling scheme with members of theAttorney General’s office.Pulled off the dealership case, Maureenbecomes angry and suspiciousenough to begin a secret investigation ofher own. This however, leads to herremoval from the position of ConsumerProtection Director to a position of lesserimportance and power. Suspecting thatshe has been set up, she resigns herposition and takes her case to the mediathrough her friend Janine May, JacksonTimes staff writer. Her actions start theball rolling toward the ending of careersin many high offices, including that of herprevious employer, Attorney GeneralFrank Cash. Maureen also finds herselfand two of her dear friends in danger.Lee’s development of the character ofMaureen Lewis, an honest, hard-workingyoung woman, creates a very likeableheroine. On the Record is Joe Lee’s firstnovel, and readers will agree it should notbe his last. Lee develops well thoughtoutplots and circumstances for his characters,and pits good against evil withexcellent results.This book is highly recommended forall Mississippi libraries, especially thosewith a large demand for a good mystery.Donna P. FitePurvis Branch ManagerLamar County Library System— ❖ —Editors’ Correction: The reviewof Christmas Stories from Mississippiwhich appeared in theWinter 2003 issue was writtenby Donna Phelps Fite, PurvisBranch Manager, Lamar CountyLibrary System, not TracyEnglert.2004 MLA ConferenceCommitteesEnjoy this year’s conference by working with colleagues from around thestate on a conference committee. It’s not too late to volunteer, just send an E-mailwith your contact information to MLA Vice President Susan S. Cassagne atscassagne@naw.lib.ms.us.EXHIBITS■ Kaylene Behm*USM/Hattiesburg■ Jerrie Hall*USM/Gulf Coast■ Carol GreenUSM/Hattiesburg■ Molly SignsMillsaps College■ Barton SpenserUSM/Hattiesburg■ Laura SimpsonUSM/Hattiesburg■ Miao JinUSM/Hattiesburg■ Allisa BeckUSM/Gulf CoastGENERAL VOLUNTEER■ Daisy ChengUniversity of MS■ Lynn ShurdenMS Library Commission■ Missie CraigCarnegie Pub. Lib. of Clarksdale■ Molly SignsMillsaps College■ Yvonne StanfordCoahoma Community Coll.HOSPITALITY■ Molly Signs*Millsaps College■ Chuck McClureQuitman Upper Elem. SchoolLOCAL ARRANGEMENTS■ Nancy McLemore*Copiah Lincoln Comm. Coll.■ Casey HughesNatchez Adams Wilk. Cty. Lib.■ Jennifer SmithWarren Cty. Vicksburg Public■ Kathy BuntinMS Library CommissionLOCAL ARRANGEMENTS (cont.)■ Molly SignsMillsaps College■ Beth RogersNatchez Convention &Visitors■ Stratton HallNatchez Convention & Visitors■ Wendy CartwrightPOSTER SESSIONS■ Carol Green*USM/Hattiesburg■ Daisy ChengUniversity of MS■ Lona HooverMS State University■ Margaret Jane StaubleHinds Community Coll.■ Sheila CorkHancock Cty. Lib. System■ Robert FowlerMS State UniversityREGISTRATION■ Kaileen Thieling*Central MS Regional Lib. Sys.■ Carol GreenUSM/Hattiesburg■ Chuck McClureQuitman Upper Elem. School■ Daisy ChengUniversity of MS■ Jacqueline QuinnHinds Community Coll.■ June GarnerMS State■ Kathleen WellsUSM/Hattiesburg■ Margaret Jane StaubleHinds Community Coll.■ Missie CraigCarnegie Pub. Lib., Clarksdale■ Molly SignsMillsaps College

Page 23 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesMICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARDS, 2004The Michael L. Printz Award honors ahigh school librarian in Topeka, Kansaswho enthusiastically promoted qualitybooks for young adults. Each year theaward is given to a book that exemplifiesliterary excellence in young adult literature,published in English in the previous year.In 2000 the Young Adult Library ServicesAssociation, a division of the AmericanLibrary Association, gave the first award toMonster by Walter Dean Myers.Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last.New York: Simon and Schuster Books forYoung Readers, 2003. 131pp. $15.95.On his sixteenth birthday Bobby’s girlfriend,Nia, tells him she’s pregnant with hischild. After the birth of their baby girl, Feather,Bobby refuses to give her up for adoption,leaving him a single parent with muchto learn about parenthood. Bobby’s fascinationwith his baby and his devotion to her isclear. “Her hands are translucent and warm.Baby hands. Warm, sweet-smelling babyhands. And all I can do is kiss them and pullher closer so she won’t see my face and howscared I am.” In alternating chapters readersexperience Bobby’s life as a teenage fatherwith flashbacks to his life leading up to hisdaughter’s birth. The Printz Award Committeecomments, “Bobby’s voice comes strongand poignant, pulling readers into theheartache, confusion, and insecurity.” Withspare language and no sentimentality, Johnsonshows readers the male viewpoint ofteen pregnancy and child care.MICHAEL L. PRINTZHONOR BOOKSDonnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light.Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, Inc., 2003.389pp. $17.00.Fractious, somniferous, obstreperous,furtive. Mattie Gokey learns a new wordevery day. Her dream is to attend collegeand become a writer, not easy for a youngwoman in 1906, growing up in poverty ona farm in the Adirondacks. There are othercompelling elements in Mattie’s life: hermother’s death, her father’s unhappiness,the needs of her three sisters, her attractionAbout Children’s Booksto good-looking but dull Ralph Loomis, herfriendship with Weaver, and the mystery ofa young woman’s death. Donnelly setsMattie’s story in the midst of a true tragedy,the drowning of pregnant Grace Brown byher lover. While working during the summerat a nearby resort, Mattie is surprised tohave a bundle of letters suddenly thrust intoher hands by Grace, who has been stayingthere with a man. Grace’s love letters arethe catalyst that propels Mattie away fromthe farm to seek her dream. Already Mattiehas been accepted to Barnard College.This is a complex tale skillfully weaving severalseemingly unrelated lives into anunderstandable pattern. Based on the truestory that inspired Theodore Dreiser towrite An American Tragedy, the novel willappeal to fans of historical fiction as well asreaders who appreciate the tensions and triumphsof ordinary people.Frost, Helen. Keesha’s House.Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus andGiroux, 2003. 116pp. $16.00.This novel in verse follows the lives ofseven teens who find a safe house to livein. The house in an inner-city neighborhoodbelongs to Joe, but once Keeshastays there, escaping a drunken father,she begins to gather others in need: Stephie,who’s pregnant; Jason, Stephie’sboyfriend; Dontay, running from fostercare; Carmen, arrested on a DUI charge;Harris, gay and disowned by his father;and Katie, escaping an abusive stepfather.Keesha’s words: “I go to school, I work,I eat okay and get to bed/on time. Ithought Child Welfare might ask questions,/butas long as they don’t pay attention,I can stay.” In sonnets and sestinas,Frost captures each teen’s voice and letsthem speak about their fears and dreams.Going, K. L. Fat Kid Rules the World.New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2003.183pp. $17.99.Going throws readers into the miserableworld of Troy, a 6' 1", 296-pound, seventeen-year-oldhigh school senior. His motheris dead, his father is a rigid ex-militaryman, and his little brother is athletic andobnoxious. Almost immediately, Troy isgiven a fantasy opportunity to become adrummer for genius guitarist Curt McCrae,who stopped Troy from committing suicide.The last time Troy played the drums, he wasin seventh grade. Troy figures the offer istoo good to be true. Curt is homeless, aproduct of a dysfunctional family, and adruggie, but he sees a genuine quality inTroy that appeals to him. This is more thana story about an overweight teen. AlthoughTroy and Curt are unlikely friends, theylearn from each other and gain self-respect.Despite the surreal, coincidental aspects ofthe story, the unusual characters and thepunk rock scene will fascinate readers.Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, MyButt, and Other Big Round Things.Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press,2003. 246pp. $15.99.At first this novel seems like another sadstory about an unhappy, misunderstood,overweight girl wallowing in her misery.Her best friend, Shannon, has moved toSeattle temporarily, and Froggy Welsh manageda few kisses and some awkward gropingthat ended after one month. VirginiaShreves, fifteen years old, alternately resentsand admires her thin, good-looking family.She admires her older brother the most untilhe’s accused of date rape at Columbia andis suspended from classes for a semester.Virginia attends a private Manhattan schoolwhere the girls are thin, which adds to herself-pity and poor self-image. Briefly, she isdriven to mild forms of self-mutilation.Gradually, Virginia begins to examine herlife and the lives of those around her withthe dawning realization that even popularstudents and successful parents have problems.This novel is a lengthier version ofPaula Danziger’s Dinky Hocker ShootsSmack, complete with a mother who workswith teens and their problems while remainingoblivious to her own daughter’s truenature.Rosemary ChanceAssistant Professor, SLISThe University of Southern MississippiRosemary.Chance@usm.edu

Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 24MLA Executive Board MeetingMinutesDECEMBER 12, 2003BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDINGPrima Plauché, PresidentHelen J. Flanders, Vice-President/President-electJennifer Smith, TreasurerSara Morris, SecretaryBilly Beal, ALA CouncilorGlenda Segars, SELA CouncilorTerry Latour, Past PresidentSandy Hayes, Special Libraries ChairGretchen Cook, ACRL ChairRandy Sherard, Trustee ChairOthers in AttendanceMary Julia Anderson, Executive SecretaryLinda McKay, Financial Management CommitteeFreda Hartness, State FriendsAllison Mays, MS Authors AwardJane Webster, Special Libraries SectionMolly Signs, Web CommitteePeggy Price, ACRL SectionSusan CassagneBettie Cox, School Library SectionPresident Plauché called the meeting to order at 10:07a.m. A quorum was declared and the agenda presented.President Plauché asked for a motion to amend the agendato include under New Business section D, Accept LSTAGrant for National Library Week; Authorize Vice-PresidentFlanders to sign grant agreement. T. Latour moved toaccept the change to the agenda. J. Smith seconded. Themotion passed unanimously.I. OFFICERS’ AND STAFF REPORTSA. Secretary – Minutes of the previous Boardmeeting were distributed and reviewed. J. Smithmoved to accept the minutes. G. Segars seconded.The motion passed unanimously.B. Treasurer – Treasurer Smith submitted the MississippiLibrary Association Balance Sheet as ofNovember 30, 2003. The sheet showed$110,571.66 as liabilities and equity with a netincome for the year of $37,685.68. This sheetdoes not reflect reimbursement for the speakers’grant – MLA should get $6,403.81 before the endof the year. These totals do not reflect all expensesfor the conference. There will be some profit fromthe conference. J. Smith commented that CommitteeChairs are updating their accounts as theywork on their annual reports. J. Smith also reportedthat MLA has 649 members. S. Morris movedto accept the treasurer’s report. J. Flanders seconded.The motion passed unanimously.C. President – P. Plauché reported that her activitiesare reflected in other areas of the agenda. Shehas been working with J. Flanders to make thetransition in leadership.D. Vice President – J. Flanders reported thatthere were 600 individuals in attendance at thisyear’s MLA conference. 98 of these 600 were firsttime attendees. She thanked the MississippiLibrary Commission for the speakers’ grant thatmade it possible to get some excellent speakers.P. Plauché also thanked everyone for their hardwork on making the conference a success.E. Past President – No ReportF. ALA Councilor – No ReportG. SELA Representative – G. Segars remindedeveryone that the 2004 SELA conference is a jointconference with the North Carolina Library Associationmeeting in Charlotte. The meeting will befrom November 9th through 13th. She alsoannounced that SELA would be hosting, “Assessmentin Libraries: Practical Approaches for Creatinga Continuous Assessment Environment,” a preconferenceat ALA. More information about theprogram can be found on the SELA website.H. Executive Secretary – No ReportI. ML Co-Editors – P. Plauché reported that theeditors are in the final stages of preparing the winterissue. It will be mailed during the first week ofJanuary.II. SECTION REPORTSA. ACRL – G. Cook announced that the new Presidentof ACRL is Peggy Price. The new ViceChair/ Chair Elect is Jana Hudson Breeden. Thenew Secretary/Treasure is Stephen Turner.B. Public Libraries – No Report. P. Plauchéreported that Deborah Lundy is the new chair ofthe Public Libraries Section.C. School Libraries – No ReportD. Special Libraries – Sandy Hayes reported thatthe section had a small business meeting at conference.Anne Lipscomb Webster is the new Chair.Clara Joorfetz is Vice Chair. Secretary is Ann Bellenger.E. Trustees – No ReportIII. OLD BUSINESSA. Action Item: Resignation of Kaileen Thieling,2004 Vice-President/President Elect– P. Plauché announced to the board that KaileenTheiling had submitted her resignation as the2004 Vice-President/President Elect. P. Plauchéread the following to the Board:12/8/03It is with great regret that I tender my resignationas Vice President/President-Elect of the MississippiLibrary Association for 2004. When Iagreed to run for office in January of 2003 andwhen I was elected in April 2003, my life was vastlydifferent.In October 2003, my eighty-four year oldmother fell. She cracked a rib and fractured a vertebra.We have spent hours visiting doctors andhaving tests done. She is currently in physicaltherapy three days a week. However, we are notoptimistic that this is going to help. As the onlychild and caregiver, her care and treatment must bemy top priority.After much deliberation and prayer, I knowthat at this point, I cannot give the MississippiLibrary Association the time and energy that isrequired to provide a convention that is second tonone. I apologize to all those who placed theirfaith in me by according me this honor. I wouldstrongly recommend that Susan Cassagne beappointed to replace me. Susan has already donea great deal of work as local arrangements chairperson.The CMRLS staff and I will do all that wecan to assist her.Sincerely,Kaileen R. ThielingDirectorCentral MS Regional Library SystemJ. Smith moved to accept Kaileen Theiling’sresignation as 2004 Mississippi Library AssociationVice-President/President elect. B. Beal seconded.The motion passed unanimously.B. Action Item: Appointment of Susan Cassagneas 2004 Vice-president/PresidentElect – P. Plauché deferred to B. Beal, MLAParliamentarian concerning the replacement of anopen officer position. B. Beal reported thataccording to Article 1, Section B, of the MLA Bylawsthat for any unfilled office, except for President,the Executive Board can appoint an individualto fill the vacancy. G. Segars moved to appointSusan Cassagne Vice-President/President-Elect bythe provisions made in Article 1, Section B of theMississippi Library Association By-laws. S. Hayesseconded. The motion passed unanimously. S.Cassagne who was present accepted her new position.C. Action Item: EBSCO proposal for rightsand permissions for ML to be included inEBSCO databases – P. Plauché asked RandySherard for his comments concerning the documentfrom EBSCO. R. Sherard commented thatparagraphs 5.2 and 5.3 state that MLA indemnifiesEBSCO Publishing, however MLA does not havethose resources. R. Sherard suggests that we askfor the removal of these paragraphs. Paragraph6.1 on page four has a line missing. This needs tobe corrected. On the final page the documentneeds to read the “laws of Mississippi” not those of“Massachusetts.” R. Sherard recommended thatML obtain a waver or release from all authors togrant permissions dealing with copyright anddatabase inclusion. T. Latour commented that atone point ML did have a form and should reinstatethis policy. P. Plauché thanked R. Sherard for hiscomments. The issue of royalty was raised by anumber of different individuals. T. Latour questionedwhat “royalties will be equal to twenty percent(20%) of the net revenue collection for inclusionof Content from the Publications on Productssold.” R. Sherard suggested that EBSCO includein the final contract an appendix with an exampleof how this would work. J. Smith commented thatin 2003 MLA had received $384 in subscriptionfees. B. Beal made a motion to adopt a resolutionrequesting the 2004 board to seek clarification inboth language and contractual issues in the licenseagreement and than consider its adoption. R.Sherard seconded. The motion passed unanimously.D. Action Item: Amend Natchez ConventionSite Contract – P. Plauché recommended thatthe Natchez Convention Site contract be modifiedfrom a block of 200 rooms to 300 rooms. In thepast few years the MLA conference has requiredmore rooms than 200. T. Latour asked whichhotels MLA is using. The main hotel will be theIsle of Capri with The Comfort Inn and the Ramadataking in the overflow. Discussion ensued concerningthe ability to cancel rooms if they are notbooked. T. Latour moved to amend the Natchezcontract from 200 to 300 rooms if the contract canalso be modified to contain language that allows forthe cancellation of rooms without obligation by aspecified date. J. Smith seconded. The motionpassed unanimously. J. Smith moved to approvethe following as the official 2004 conferencehotels: Isle of Capri, Comfort Inn, and RamadaInn. R. Sherard seconded. The motion passedunanimously.

Page 25 Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Mississippi LibrariesIV. NEW BUSINESSA. Action Item: Approve submitting requestfor quotations for 2004 conference eveninsurance – P. Plauché announced that theNatchez Convention Center does not provide anevent insurance rider. The Insurance Committeeinvestigated obtaining event insurance and identifiedthe following companies as possible insurers:RVNuccio & Associates, Sporting Insurance, andGalescreek Insurance. Estimated cost is approximately$300 and the Fiscal Management Committeeis aware of this cost. R. Sherard suggested thatMLA obtain quotes from all three. This way wewill be able to compare costs and build a relationshipwith a company in case we need this type ofcoverage in the future. T. Latour moved to requesta quotation from all three companies for the liabilityinsurance for the 2004 conference. S. Hayes seconded.The motion passed unanimously.B. Action Item: Authorize J. Flanders to signcontracts with the Vicksburg ConventionCenter and select hotels – P. Plauché statedthat the MLA handbook Chapter 1, Vice President/President-ElectConference Duties II. F2,grants permission for contracts to be signed by theincoming president. In reviewing the Vicksburgcontract R. Sherard recommended that we modifythe paragraph concerning insurance. Also the statementsabout security need to be examined. MLAdoes not need to be tied into having a certain numberof security officers per person. He feels it ispossible to talk to the convention sales representativesand get this modified. B. Beal suggested thatthese issues be taken care of by the 2004 Board.R. Sherard moved to authorize signing of the contractcontingent on further review by legal counciland with better contract language. G. Segars seconded.The motion passed unanimously.C. 2003 Fiscal Management Committee AnnualReport – L. McKay, Chair, Fiscal ManagementCommittee reported that the Fiscal ManagementCommittee met on December 11, 2003 atthe Eudora Welty library. Twelve MLA memberswere present. Missy Lee, MLA bookkeeper, presenteda financial report through December 8,2003. L. McKay and the committee reviewed the2003 budget and adopted a proposed 2004 budget.A motion came from the standing committeeto accept the budget as presented. R. Sherard seconded.The motion passed unanimously. L.Mckay also recommended that P. Plauché, J. Flanders,and J. Smith go to the bank after the meetingto change the signature cards on the checkingaccount. These cards would be held until the firstof the year as the 2003 board in office untilDecember 31, 2003. S. Morris seconded. Themotion passed unanimously. L. McKay alsoannounced that the Fiscal Management Committeewill examine MLA’s CD investments at their nextquarterly meeting as low interest rates have resultedin lower than expected income.”D. MLC Report – S. Smith gave a brief report concerningMLC activities. In recent weeks, wormvirus issues in the MissIn Network that affectedpublic libraries. Technicians have been working toclean and repair all affected systems. S. Smithannounced she would recommend that the MLCboard grant two different grants to MLA. The firstis for $8,500 to support MLA Legislative Day programmingand National Library Week public relationsmaterial. The second is a $10,000 speakersgrant for the MLA conference. MLC is conductingnumerous continuing education programs throughoutthe state. During January there will be a serieson how libraries can measure their contribution tothe community. S. Smith also announced that thenew building is coming along and they hope tomove in during the fall of 2004.In a brief summary of the legislative activitiesfor the year, S. Smith commented that this yearthere are many unknown factors. There are newindividuals in statewide offices as well as the legislature.MLA Legislative day will be on February 3rd.Morning and afternoon activities will take place atthe Agriculture and Forestry Museum. The day isscheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. with an opportunityfor committees to meet or for individuals toattend a program on an art exhibit that is coming toJackson. At 11:00 a.m. the Legislative Committeewill meet. At 1:30 p.m., the MLA President willspeak. Awards will be given at 1:45 p.m. Fortyfiveminutes later the invited speaker will give histalk. A speaker has not been confirmed as yet.After a 3:30 p.m. break, the legislative update willbe given at 4:00 p.m. The reception at the EudoraWetly will be from 6 to 8:00 p.m. The theme thisyear is Mississippi’s future @ your library. Materialabout this event will be going out in December.The committee is also planning district legislativedays. Librarians from different areas of the statewill be invited to attend legislative sessions throughoutthe entire session. This will keep libraries andlibrarians on the minds of the legislators. Moreinformation about this new program is forthcoming.E. National Library Week Grant – R. Sherardmoved that J. Flanders be authorized to sign the$8,500 National Library Week from the MississippiLibrary Commission if it is awarded. B. Bealseconded. The motion passed unanimously.V. COMMITTEE REPORTSA. Archives & History – No ReportB. MLA Awards – No ReportC. Conservation – No ReportD. Constitution, By-Laws & OrganizationalReview – No ReportE. Continuing Education – No ReportF. Copyright – No ReportG. Election – No ReportH. Handbook – No ReportI. Insurance – No ReportJ. Membership – No ReportK. Intellectual Freedom – No ReportL. Information Literacy – No ReportM. Credentials – No ReportN. Mississippi Authors Award – A. Maysannounced that the committee had received thetwo video copies of the awards dinner. One will bearchived by MLA and the other added to the collectionat MLC.O. MLA Children’s/Young Adult Awards –No ReportP. Publications – No ReportQ. Publicity – P. Plauché announced that MaryPerkins is working on the next electronic newsletter.Please submit any information to be included.R. Scholarship – No ReportS. Web Page – No Report.VIII.ROUND TABLE REPORTSA. Black Caucus – No ReportB. ECTRT – No ReportC. Friends/MS Libraries – F. Hartness reportedthat the Friends are prepared to help with theevents of Legislative Day. She also reported thatthe Friends conference programs were very successful.D. GODORT – No ReportE. LIRT – No ReportF. NMRT – No ReportG. TSRT – No ReportH. SPRT – No ReportI. 2YCRT – No ReportJ. YPSRT – No ReportIX. OTHER BUSINESS AND ANNOUNCEMENTSP. Plauché thanked everyone for their support andcommitment during her presidency. She and MJAnderson presented those leaving the board plaquesrecognizing their contributions to MLA.X. ADJOURNMENTThere being no further business by the board, a motionwas duly made, seconded and unanimously passed toadjourn. The board adjourned at 11:48 a.m.Respectfully submitted,Sara E. Morris, SecretaryDECEMBER 12, 2003BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING:Juanita Flanders, PresidentSusan Cassagne, Vice President/President ElectJennifer Smith, TreasurerAllison Mays, SecretaryPrima Plauché, Immediate Past PresidentMary Beth Applin, SELA CouncilorPeggy Price, ACRL ChairBettie Cox, School Libraries ChairRandy Sherard, Trustee Section ChairAnne Lipscomb Webster, Special Libraries Chair[not present: Robert Lipscomb, Deborah Lundy]Others in attendance:Fred Hartness, FMLMolly Signs, Web CommitteeNancy TenhetMary Julia Anderson, Executive SecretaryTerry Latour, Delta State UniversityLinda McKay, Fiscal ManagementPresident Flanders called the meeting to order at 11:55.The agenda was presented and a quorum was declared.I. INTRODUCTIONSThe following persons were introduced:A. New Board MembersB. Round-Table ChairpersonsC. Committee ChairpersonsD. Nancy Tenhet, as the new Parliamentarian, non-votingmember of the BoardII. OFFICER AND STAFF REPORTSNone given at this time.III. COMMITTEE REPORTSA. Legislative Day Activities Report – Since thiswas covered in the previous board meeting, it wasnot discussed at this time.IV. OLD BUSINESSNone discussed.V. NEW BUSINESSNone discussedVI. ANNOUNCEMENTSJ. Flanders will send out the dates of the future boardmeetings via email.VII. ADJOURNMENTThere being no further business by the board, a motionwas duly made, seconded and unanimously passed toadjourn. The board adjourned at 12:05.Respectfully submitted,Allison P. Mays, Secretary

MISSISSIPPI LIBRARYASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP FORMMEMBERSHIP YEAR 2004 (January-December 2004)Name _______________________________________Library ______________________________________Position______________________________________Mailing address ____________________________________________________________________________City_____________________ State _______________Zip_____________________Home Phone __________________________________Business Phone ________________________________Fax _________________________________________E-mail _______________________________________Type of Library_________________________________New Membership Renewal A. MEMBERSHIP TYPESMembership (Any person currently working in a library orinformation center or those who provide support for its manyservices. Mark by salary range or current library affiliation)$0 to $9,999 $15 per year $________$10,000 to $19,999 $25 per year $________$20,000 to $29,999 $35 per year $________$30,000 to $39,999 $45 per year $________$40,000 to $49,999 $50 per year $________$50,000 to $59,999 $55 per year $________$60,000 or above $60 per year $________Student Full or Part-time(2 Year Limit) $10 per year $________Retired $15 per year $________Trustee $15 per year $________Friend of Library $15 per year $________Institutional Membership $45 per year $________Vendor $40 per year $________Lifetime membershipOne-time payment $1000 $________Installment PlanPayable up to 5 years $1250-$250/year $________A. MEMBERSHIP TYPES SUBTOTAL $________http://www.misslib.org/601.352.3917 Fax 601.352.4240B. SECTIONSEnter “FREE” for one section membership. (Enter $6.00 foradditional sections.)Academic (ACRL)$_________Public$_________School$_________Special$_________Trustee$_________B. SECTIONS SUBTOTAL $_________C. ROUNDTABLESJoin one or more roundtables for opportunities in professionalgrowth $3.00 EACH.ANRT$_________(Automation and Networking)BLACK CAUCUS$_________ECTRT$_________(Educational Communication and Tech)GODORT$_________(Government Documents)LIRT$_________(Library Instruction)NMRT$_________(New Members)SCRT$_________(Special Collections)TSRT$_________(Technical Services)2YCRT$_________(2 Year College)YPSRT$_________(Young People’s Services)C. ROUNDTABLES SUBTOTAL $_________D. SCHOLARSHIPDonation to Peggy May Scholarship $_________Donation to Virgia Brock-Shedd Scholarship $_________D. SCHOLARSHIP SUBTOTAL $_________GRAND MLA TOTAL(DUES GRAND TOTAL (A+B+C) ANDSCHOLARSHIP D)$_________Check enclosed (Make payable to Mississippi Library Association)and mail to MLA, P.O. Box 20448, Jackson MS 39289-1448. All dues include subscription to MississippiLibraries. Please charge my MLA dues to my: VISA MasterCardAccount Number _______________________________Expiration Date_________________________________Signature_____________________________________Dues must be paid by January 15 in order to receive the March issue ofMississippi Libraries and for annual election of officers.MLA may at times supply its membership list to professional organizations orlibrary vendors. Check the box if you do not want your name included.

Mississippi Library AssociationPost Office Box 20448Jackson, Mississippi 39289-1448NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU. S. POSTAGEP A I DPERMIT NO. 312HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI