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National Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The thirty-day celebration starts on September 15 and ends on October 15; September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Also in September: Don’t forget Library Card Sign-up Month, Civic Awareness Month, Banned Books Week, Constitution Day, and International Day of Peace.
From the Blog
Check Out This Award-winning Reading Program for Students
Panagiotis Stathopoulos’s project, “Found in Translation: Reading, Writing, Critical Thinking, and Metaphrasis,” is the 2013 recipient of the American Association of School Librarians” (AASL) Innovative Reading Grant.
Are You a Programming Librarian and an ALA Member? Let Your Voice Be Heard!
Although the Public Programs Office is a wonderful resource, there is currently no formal space in the ALA structure for members to contribute to the world of library public programming. The members of the Public and Cultural Programming Advisory Committee want to establish a new ALA Member Interest Group.
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Feature
Your Business Is Our Business: How to Start a “Start Your Own Business” Program in Your Town
My first official function as Business Librarian at the Hoover (Ala.) Public Library was attending a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Before the meal, the attendees all met in a large lobby to “network,” which I discovered was part info-commercial, part interview, and part sales pitch. In this instance, I was trying to sell the library to mostly professional sales people. Needless to say, the experience was unnerving. Luckily Susan Spafford, my direct supervisor, was there. She grabbed me by the arm, told me to smile real big and hand out my business cards, which we had printed just for that occasion.
After stumbling through a few handshakes with sales veterans politely listening to me tell them how the library could help them increase their sales leads, all the attendees were asked to seat ourselves at one of the numerous tables in the dining area. After another round of introductions, I finally relaxed into a settled conversation with a gentleman named Joe Primm. Mr. Primm was on the board of the Chamber and was a business counselor for the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network (ASBDC). He seemed extremely interested to hear that we were reaching out to the local business community. Read more | Your Business Is Our Business: How to Start a “Start Your Own Business” Program in Your Town
Thanks to Our Sponsor
Programming Librarian would like to thank the Institute of Museum and Library Services for their support of this site.
Quote of the Week
When the going gets tough, the tough get a librarian.—Joan Bauer