School Days! School Days!

Happy Labor Day Greetings--

No sooner than I finished the last three of eleven workshops on library services to older adults for the Texas State Library and Archives then school began! Oh, I'm not going back to school! I am teaching a class on "library services to older adults" online for San Jose State University, School of Library and Information Science.

Many of the students have already done work on the subject in other classes and seem excited to particpate in this one. I have 24 students which I am working with using e-mail and the Blackboard Learning System. We meet one hour each week online as well as post on a discussion board that others in the class can all particpate in. So far--so good!

One of the exercises that I am doing this week at home is to do some dining room and front hall cleaning. You can't imagine the archives that I am finding. Things that I have not seen in years!

Of course, many of you would just toss them away. I am finding so many unique items that relate to the course that I am teaching--I just can't believe it. Having been around for over 25 years in this field gives one a lot of time for gathering.

I spent some time writing my two cents this week on the possible merger of US National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS). Information about the merger plan can be found at either: www.nclis.gov or at: www.imls.gov. My wish is that if the two are to merge that one member either of the "new" IMLS staff or advisory board be knowledgeable in the area of "library services to the elderly," as mandated in the NCLIS Charter. Part of getting involved in this area of library services to older adults is that you become a stakeholder on what happens, especially in Washington, DC! Both NCLIS and IMLS have been "friends" to service to older adults!

Well, that's it for now. If you want to look at the course information at San Jose, you can do that at:

http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/courses/220.kleiman/220fall06info.htm.

Chat with you soon,
Allan