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ISSN 2369-4939
Volume 6 Issue 10
October 1, 2020
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Letter from the President
Fall greetings to all! We are definitely in a different place from last year at this time. I hope you have been able to take some time off this summer to focus on you and yours.
SLA office staff and board members have been planning for they year ahead. I hope you have seen the messages with links to the videos that SLA created for use by all libraries during Saskatchewan Library
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Photo Credit: Andrew Marshall
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Week and Culture Days. We hope the videos help you in your programming. We encourage you to use these videos beyond these times of celebration as well. There is sure to be a video for any and all your patron groups.
The Board is getting used to having meetings via Zoom and teleconference. This poses challenges, but has sure been a financial saving for the association. We hope that you will consider getting involved in the Board in the near future. We are, in fact, looking for a Member at Large since Elaina St. Onge has moved into the VP of Engagement and Communications.
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Executive Director's Report
Congratulations to all libraries that have been able to reopen and/or expand and modify services offered! We recognize the planning and effort that has gone into reopening to the public and providing services in different ways to accommodate health and safety requirements. The public missed libraries - the SLA office received inquiries from members of the public about libraries opening. Some callers expressed in detail the void created in their lives without library services.
SLA staff is working a combination of remotely and office based with some modified hours. Everyone remains available via phone or email. As with many organizations communication with members has been complicated by COVID-19.
Communication with members is important. The SLAte newsletter, newsflashes and social media pages are our primary communication channels and we have worked to expand our reach. The past issue of SLAte was sent to 1026 people. We have substantially increased our
social media presence. Our numbers of followers as of July 31 were: 854 on Twitter, 684 on Facebook and 610 on Instagram. One social media post, the Call for Artists for the 2020 Saskatchewan Library Week and Culture days video project was shared over thirty times and reached more than 3000 people.
 Call for Interest: Member at Large
SLA would like to remind you that one position of Member at Large in the Board of Directors remains vacant. Serving on the SLA Board is a great opportunity to contribute to the library community, make connections and have a voice. More information about Board duties is available here.
Maureen Woods Education Bursary: Applications due October 30
The Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) is pleased to accept applications for the Maureen Woods Education Bursary until October 30, 2020.
The $5000 bursary was established to promote the continued growth of professional librarianship in the province of Saskatchewan. It is open to all students enrolled in or accepted in an ALA-accredited graduate degree program in library and information science or equivalent at the time of the award. Applicants must be willing to take up residence and employment in Saskatchewan for a period of at least one year following completion of their MLIS program.
More information is available here.
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Name: Robin Canham 
Professional career and activities: University of Regina - Bachelor of Arts (English) (2005), University of Toronto - Master of Information Studies (2007). I am now on a leave from my position at Saskatchewan Polytechnic Library to pursue a Master of Arts Conservation degree at Queen's University, specializing in books and paper.
Family: Currently residing in Kingston, Ontario with my husband and house rabbit Jasper.
In my spare time: I enjoy bookbinding, weightlifting, yoga, and hiking.
Favorite book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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2020 Video Project: Celebrate Saskatchewan Library Week and Culture Days
As we continue to address programming possibilities during pandemic restrictions, SLA has commissioned eight writers and artists to create short workshops, readings and presentations on a variety of topics.
Libraries can share the videos on their website and social media pages, or in their physical space if they are open. We hope you enjoy the videos and encourage you to share them with your patrons!
 Culture Days 2020: September 25 to October 25
Culture Days celebrations began on September 25 and will run through October 25. Click here to view a full list of events.
Saskatchewan Library Week: October 18 to 24, 2020
Libraries: Resilient in Changing Times
The Government of Saskatchewan has declared October 18-24 as Saskatchewan Library Week. The proclamation can be viewed here.
You can join Saskatchewan Library Week celebrations on social media and share your experience using #SaskLibWeek.
The Book Spine Poetry Contest will run through November 1. The contest is available for people of all ages. Winners in each category will receive a $100 Chapters gift card.
For more information about Saskatchewan Library Week, please visit our website.
The Battle of the Books:
Dog Man Comes Out on Top
It was an exciting summer online for the TD Summer Reading Club. In the first-ever Battle of the Books, kids voted weekly in the 8-book tournament to determine their favourite summer read.
2020 Library Awards TDSRC is now accepting applications for the 2020 Library Awards. The deadline is November 10, 2020. More information, including the application form, is available here. You can view the Library Awards brochure here. |
SPL Media Release: New Central Library Functional Program and RFP for Design Consultant Released
Saskatoon Public Library released two key documents that signal significant progress for the delivery of a new central library to Saskatoon.
Book Week 2020
The Honourable Gene Makowsky, Minister of Parks, Culture, and Sport, has officially declared September 28-October 2 as Saskatchewan Book Publishing Week 2020.
Events are still happening today and tomorrow. The poster and event schedule are available for viewing.
SWG's Virtual Writer-in-Residence Program
The Saskatchewan Writers' Guild (SWG) offers a Virtual Writer-in-Residence (VWIR) program for all SWG members living outside of Regina and Saskatoon. This program is a great opportunity for writers of all levels of development and kinds of writing to discuss their work with an established author.
Neil Aitken is the VWIR until November 30, 2020. He is available to read up to 15 pages of your writing (in any genre) and discuss them in a 1-hour zoom meeting. Neil is an award-winning poet, has excellent experience as a writing coach and manuscript consultant, and is excited to work with our members. The next VWIR is Alice Kuipers, an internationally best-selling writer for children and young adults, who is available for consultations between February 1 - April 30, 2021. For more information, please click here.
The Role of School Libraries During the Pandemic
The Canadian School Libraries Board of Directors released a statement expressing concern about cuts to school libraries as the new school year begins.
Willow Awards Update
The Willow Awards haven't been immune to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dates and programs may change over the course of the year, as they did in the spring of 2020 during the voting and gala periods, to adapt to any restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
What's Next? Libraries Adapt to the New Abnormal
Join Library Journal's annual summit on October 6. This is a free, day-long, virtual event in which library leaders will share their learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic.
LibraryCon Live! 2020
Join Library Journal and School Library Journal for their fourth annual LibraryCon Live! This day-long, free celebration of stories and characters will be on November 5, 2020.
Quill & Quire: With School Libraries Closed and Staff Redeployed, Students and Teachers Will Suffer
Shanda Deziel writes about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on school libraries. Click here to read the story.
Patron-Perpetrated Sexual Harassment in Libraries Research Project
Please consider participating in a survey on patron-perpetrated sexual harassment in Canadian libraries. This research project is being conducted by Dr. Danielle Allard, Dr. Tami Oliphant and Angela Lieu to investigate the issue of sexual harassment of library workers by their patrons. The survey will be open until November 1, 2020.
Participants will be entered into a draw for a $100 gift card to Glass Bookshop.
For more information, and to participate in the survey, please click here.
Newsletters from other cultural organizations
Check out the latest newsletters from the following organizations:
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Saskatchewan Library Association
10-2010 7th Ave.
Regina, SK S4R 1C2
Phone: 306-780-9413 or 306-780-9409
Fax: 306-780-3633
SLA reserves the right to change or edit any submission or to refuse publication in its entirety.
The deadline for receipt of submissions for SLAte is the 25th of each month.
Everyone, Including Culture, Wins When You Buy Lottery Tickets
The core funding that SLA receives through SaskCulture is part of the Lottery Trust where a percentage of every lottery ticket sold goes to support sport, culture and recreation groups within Saskatchewan. It appears that recent lottery sales are not meeting expectations, which will not have an immediate effect on SLA. However we encourage you to remind audiences and arts council members that buying lottery tickets benefits the entire community. Saskatchewan Lotteries has also launched an app that you can download in the App Store or Google Play. More information is available on the Saskatchewan Lotteries website.
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Saskatchewan Library Association © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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