FLA Filings: FLA-NRMT Blog

The Florida Library Association's New Members Round Table Interest Group (FLA-NMRT) has a fairly new blog here which is intended to be "a place to read and post stories of interest to new FLA members as well as librarianship in general."

Nice job! From a not-so-new FLA member, welcome to the Association, and from a not-so-new blog, welcome to the biblioblogosphere!

SUBJECTS: FLA FILINGS

Friday Fun Thing: Wet Noodle Posse

This post about the Wet Noodle Posse should have been made months ago, upon first learning of this group (sorry, Karen!), but some nameless blogger (ahem) accidentally buried the information and forgot about it until yet another great paper clean-up recently. Bearing in mind the Posse's tagline, "Be good to yourself, or else," we shall dispense with the apologies and mea culpas for not posting sooner, reinforce the "do it now" lesson that never quite seems to get learned well enough, and proceed to blog about two delightful sites by this group of women romance writers (all of whom were finalists for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award of 2003; read their story here).

The main site is the Wet Noodle Posse, described in the Posse's own words as "an ezine about women connecting and sharing, offering support, encouragement, information, a recommendation--or just a good belly laugh." It is available by either dropping in to the site or by free subscription. Regular features include a "Noodler of the Month" plus columns on writing, living well, crafts, food, reading, real-life "super heroines" and much more.

The companion site is the Wet Noodle Posse Blog, where Posse members each blog once a month. CFLC's own Karen Potter (Director of Maitland Public Library, published author, and Posse member) blogs each month on the fifth, so mark your calendars to catch her next week (or check out this month's timely and informative post about hurricane preparedness).

SUBJECTS: CFLC CHRONICLES

Workshop Wealth: Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute

I was privileged to attend the graduation ceremonies for attendees of the second Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute (SSLLI, pronounced "silly" and anything but!) in Tallahassee earlier this month. Pat Wagner, noted futurist, library consultant, and excellent speaker, detailed Five Trends to Wake You in the Middle of the Night (did we really need more help to do that?). Her trends with the ensuing questions libraries and those who staff them must ask themselves are:

-Changing Status Issues (How can you earn the trust and respect of others every day?)
-Changing Customer Expectations (Will you succeed in a world where your library user is your peer?)
-Changing Demographics (Whom will the library choose to serve, because it can't serve everyone?)
-Integrating Nanotechnology (Are you ready for technology after the Internet and World Wide Web?)
-Competition (If you had to earn your budget every day, library user by library user, what would you be doing differently?)

If you or librarians you know are interested in learning about or attending SSLLI 3, "a year-long [ten-meeting] comprehensive series of learning sessions that focuses on developing an understanding of leadership, within a conceptual framework and practical applications," information is available here, applications are available here, and the application deadline is July 12, 2006, a mere two weeks away.

SUBJECTS: WORKSHOP WEALTH