Fall 2002 Tishrei 5763

President Rena Citrin opened the meeting. Eight members attended.

2005 Convention. At the last meeting, the idea of hosting AJLs 2005 National Convention was raised. Glenn Ferdman gave an update of the Spertus building campaign/renovation project. The earliest Spertus could possibly be available as the site of a convention would be 2006.

Programming Ideas. A number of programming ideas for the upcoming year were discussed.

JLNMC Book Club Selections Coordinating programming with planned Spertus public programming such as the Meet the Author Series and the Jewish Book Club and Discussion Series were discussed. Brainstorming on this topic led to a decision to pursue a new annual project of creating a JLNMC list of approximately ten recommended books to be publicized to Jewish and public libraries. The list would include a mix of fiction and non-fiction and would include a tie-in with one of the Spertus series. (Glenn Ferdman will inform us of the Spertus selections.) We suggested that the list be announced in anticipation of Jewish Book Month, with a press release to synagogues and other institutions out by October 1. Sharon Chefitz, Eva Eisenstein, Glenn Ferdman, and Marcie Eskin volunteered to work on this effort.

 

Publicity. General publicity was discussed and publicity in conjunction with the book club idea. Eva stated that she might be willing to work on publicity. The Book Club press release might be something that could lead to a story about JLNMC in the local Jewish press. The issue of trying to publicize our programming was also discussed. Marcie Eskin will check with the BJE to determine the possibility of using its synagogue and educators mailing lists. We discussed submitting the book club press release to the North Suburban Library System for publication in the Blue Sheets.

 

Upcoming Meetings. After discussing many ideas, the following dates, locations, and topics for the year's meetings were tentatively decided upon

 

Fall meeting. Ner Tamid, Thursday Oct. 10, 2002, 10 am - Noon. Topic: Holocaust Art (pending contact with Marilyn Snyder). Judy Weintraub volunteered to provide lunch for this meeting.

Winter meeting. Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Sunday Feb. 2, 2003, 2 - 4:30 pm.

Spring meeting. Spertus Institute (?), Wednesday, May 14, 2003, 7:30 - 9 pm.

2002 Convention. Eva Eisenstein, Sharon Chefitz, Donna Stewart, and Glenn Ferdman reported on the Denver Convention. Everyone felt that it was a great meeting with good opportunities to network with colleagues.

Rena thanked Judy Weintraub for hosting the meeting and ended the meeting.

Respectfully submitted by,
Marcie Eskin, Recording Secretary
 

Rebbetzin Leah Mishkin, who passed away on June 20, 2002 at the age of 93, served the Library of the Hebrew Theological College for nearly a half century. She is respectfully remembered by faculty members as the "mother" of the Saul Silber Memorial Library. She was the wife of the late Rabbi Dr. Leonard Mishkin, who was a professor of history at the College and educational director of the Associated Talmud Torahs.

Mrs. Mishkin began in 1936 as assistant librarian and was promoted to Librarian in 1939. She served in that capacity for forty-five years until her retirement in 1984. Even afterward, she remained keenly interested, and often inquired about the welfare of the library. Much of its success is her doing, for she along with Dr. Mishkin were responsible for acquisitions, including many rare and important Hebrew works, volumes that are still part of the core of the Library's collection. She was also involved in the initial cataloging of all its books.

Her dedication to the Library and the providing of library services is the stuff of legend. In 1956, when the Hebrew Theological College began the process of moving from Chicago to Skokie, there was a transition period when there was no physical space for the library. Although it would have simple to close the library temporarily, Mrs. Mishkin would not let the students and the community go without the services of the library. Therefore, she rented stores on Pulaski Road, put up shelves, and kept the library functioning.

She brought to her work an incomparable knowledge of books, even beyond those which made up the library's collection. Her storehouse of knowledge included fluency in many languages. In addition she served as reference librarian, complementing her skill and professionalism with a kind and courteous manner, and genuine desire to be of service.

Mrs. Mishkin did not merely respond to requests. She worked actively to make the library a vehicle for learning in many ways such as preparing exhibits and arranging lectures on its premises.

It was the vision of Mrs. Mishkin that Saul Silber Memorial Library be not merely a storehouse of books, but a place of learning and growth. Her wisdom and her success are her legacy, which lives on each day at the Saul Silber Memorial Library of Hebrew Theological College.

Every library deals with a "public." Even small synagogue and school libraries need to be concerned about how patrons and potential patrons perceive the library's role and use the library's resources. Every library has support groups such as trustees, donors, administrators, or members to whom the library needs to prove, constantly the value of its services. Both users and non-users need to know what the library offers and what it could offer if given more support. Libraries are not vital unless the community perceives them as vital.

Public relations is a process to promote the library, library groups, and information services in general. Since libraries compete for the time and attention of the public, the library must prove its worth. Public relations is a communications process. Good public relations is the result of positive impressions on the user and non-user.

Finding the correct questions is important to finding solutions. This article will raise questions, make you aware of situations and difficulties, and offer some ideas for you to implement.

I. Librarian expertise

Not everyone understands the expertise of a librarian. Members and administrators must be reminded that librarians need subject and technical education in order to be good at their profession. Many times I have seen queries for help from scholars on internet mailing lists where I realized that the question could be answered by a librarian or library visit. These scholars had no clue to the route to find the answer. Sometimes solutions require a reference interview. The questions need clarification in order to give the appropriate help. Once the question is clarified, the answer is much easier to find. The scholar needs to know that librarians can listen and help guide them.

Spread the word as to how the librarian helped a patron. Tell everyone about expertise of your staff. Tell everyone that librarians listen and help solve puzzles. Use the organization's newsletter or create a library newsletter.

One of the biggest problems in organizations (this is not limited to libraries) is inadequate internal communications. All staff members need to have the information and tools to do their job. When the public sees a well-informed staff, they have a positive view of the library. The public does not always know the difference between a librarian and a para-professional.

Here is an example of poor communications and how to correct it. Library ABC has a policy that only qualified reference librarians may answer patron questions. No matter what the question asked, even questions for directions, the clerk must refer the patron to the reference desk. This kind of policy leads patrons to think they are being pushed aside and misdirected. Patrons perceive the front desk people as uncooperative and stupid. Staff members perceive themselves as helpless or overwhelmed with questions.

The improved policy is to make sure that all staff members are trained in many aspects of the library operation. The improved policy is discussed with professional and clerical staff to make sure they understand how to make patrons feel welcome. The first contacted staff member takes responsibility to make sure the question is answered or the patron is directed to the best person to obtain the answer. Questions concerning directions and events do not require a reference librarian. Questions directed to reference librarians may be passed to another who can better serve the patron. All staff members are informed of events and activities in the building so that patrons feel welcome.

Just as a business wants to keep customers, libraries want to keep patrons because in some way they pay the bills through their tuition, dues, or donations.

II. Library policies

Every policy must take into account public perceptions. Do you have a policy to deal with situations such as when the needs of one user conflict with another?

How old is your circulation policy? Has anything changed to make a different loan period a better policy? Is there a provision for faculty or vacation loans? What is the purpose of fines -- revenue or reminders to return books on time?

Do patrons need to wait in line for your OPAC? Do you have enough computers for internet access?

III. Good Will and Return on Investment

Every program should have a return on the investment. Returns do not have to be monetary. Good will and pleasant experiences are important, too. A few months ago I happened to visit a public library when they were having a jazz concert. When I walked into the library, the only clue to the concert was that I had to pass the door to the auditorium before entering the main part of the library. I saw some people setting up the room. I had no idea that a free library-sponsored concert was to start in the next few minutes. If there was a sign it was small and not distinguished. There was no line of people waiting to get in. After asking what was going on, I found out that tickets were required. I was not interested in attending the concert. While I was looking for the information that I came for, I heard the music penetrate into the reading room. At first I thought this was a great thing for the library to do on a Sunday afternoon. Then I realized no one in the reading room cared for the music. I peeked into the auditorium and saw fewer than 10 people in the audience. I felt sorry for the musical group. They prepared a concert, yet no one came.

What was the perceived success or failure of this program? What was the return on their investment? Did the few people who attended have a good time? Did the musical group have a good time or were they disappointed? Did the concert generate good will? An announcement on the PA would have encouraged people to attend and inform those in the reading room the source of the music. The library failed to generate positive public relations with the people already in the library. It is a good idea to inform people of the source of loud sounds, even if the sound is music. Examine the return on the investment of staff time.

Preparation for programs to gather good will and have a positive return
 

1. Do your homework. Make sure that the program is one the audience will support. If you have a concert make sure your community has an interest in that type of music. Schedule the event at an appropriate time and venue.

2. Co-ordinate publicity. Inform your staff of the event, send notices to regular patrons, post signs and notices, put notices in your newsletters, and send press releases. Make sure that the public knows this is a library event. If this is an event to get people into the library, make this clear in your planning. Hit people with your message in multiple ways. Post signs, tell people, do mailings, etc.

4. Even if attendance is small, make sure you have a public relations victory. For example stage photographs, just to enable someone to write about the event.

AJL pulled off another great meeting. The Denver Jewish community (population about 45,000) is very organized and active. Their attention to detail made for a very pleasant overall experience for attendees. AJL shared the Adams Mark Hotel with Student Technology Association (STA), which made for an even more interesting time. STA, all 3,000 of them, from grade school through high school, in the hotel for a week, for their annual meeting. Getting up and down in the tiny elevators was a challenge, and despite some long waits for a partially empty elevator, we kept our good humor and learned about the students' competitions and projects related to applied technology. Wonder what they made of us?

The keynote speaker at the opening banquet was Dr. Maurice J. Freedman, the newly elected President of the American Library Association. His topic - "There's no way they'll want to pay us better - Raising Perceptions of the Value of Libraries and the People Who Work in Them" - didn't give him the rousing reception he'd received at ALA, although I'm sure we all agreed with what he had to say. I don't think he knows the sad but real financial situation of librarians working in Jewish institutions.

The sessions I attended focused on children's literature.

The sessions on youth literature included:

Historical Fiction for Young People: An Author and a Librarian Talk about the Process and the Product

Choosing Books to Read to Children Under Seven: What Works and What Doesn't

Is the Rainbow Fish Jewish? Secular Picture Books that Reinforce Jewish Concepts and Values

Jewish Children's Literature: What's Hot and What's Not. The Sydney Taylor Awards

Beyond Faye Kellerman: Popular Jewish Fiction in Your Library was extremely useful, covering "adult readers' advisory" - guidance requested of the librarian by users on what fiction to read, and "genre fiction" - historical, mystery, etc.

Making Connections: Materials Available in American and German Archives and Libraries

Finally, a nuts-and-bolts management session:

Techniques for Evaluating the Small Print Library Collection.

This was a rather tedious and boring topic, but something we all have to do at some point, if for no other reason than to do inventory.

All in all, this was an excellent meeting, well- organized, in a visitor-friendly city. The incredible Denver Public Library hosted several of our events, and was within easy walking distance of the hotel. The Denver Art Museum was across a small plaza from the Library, and was well worth a visit. The 16th Street Mall, which was anchored at one end by our hotel, was a very successful example of urban planning, with imaginative landscaping along its roughly 15 block length down to the train station, and offering constantly running free electric trolleys. A great place to stroll and people watch.

Chicago was well represented by the following institutions: Asher Library of Spertus, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism, Chicagoland Jewish High School, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Northwestern University, and Temple Chai (Long Grove).

The Library recently received a $15,000 grant from the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, followed by a gift of $10,000 from Donna Katzin Altschuler for the establishment of a rare book fund for the purchase and conservation of items for the Katzin Rare Book collection.

The Library received an anonymous gift of $2,000 to establish a DVD collection. To date 34 DVDs have been added.

I arrived in Denver in late June to find a city carrying on admirably under difficult circumstances. High temperatures (mid-90's) and very dry conditions were aggravating the terrible forest fire which had been burning near the city for several weeks. By the time Convention started, the fire was almost 70% contained, but the traces of smoke in the air attested to its nearness. I had the opportunity to visit with friends who live in Denver while there, and they told of how much better conditions were then as opposed to a couple of weeks earlier, when the air was thick with the smoke and ashes were raining down out of the sky. When I asked them how close the fire was to Denver, they said it was about 11 miles away. Apparently, 11 miles was a good distance away, and not so close as to be truly threatening the city. To me, 11 miles sounded very close!

The city itself was a pleasure to visit. Large enough to be interesting, but not overpoweringly big. The Adam's Mark Hotel, at which Convention was held, was located in the heart of the city. It was just about a block away from a very pleasant outdoor mall, with plenty of shops, restaurants, theaters, and so forth. The hotel was comfortable enough; the food was fine, and aside from the usual, seemingly unavoidable, phenomenon of some of the meeting rooms being freezing cold while others were too warm and stuffy, the sessions I attended ran smoothly. The Convention committee did an excellent job of organizing the event.

The reception held at the Denver Public Library was pretty enjoyable. Since the library is very near to the hotel, it was just a short, pleasant walk to get there. The library staff was friendly and accommodating. We were welcomed by the City Librarian, Rick Ashton. Dr. Maurice (Mitch) Freedman, ALA President, spoke as well. The library had on display a most interesting exhibit on the history of the railroad in Colorado.

Dr. Freedman was also the keynote speaker at the Sunday dinner. His talk was on the need for more public awareness of the importance of librarianship and librarians, and for better salaries for librarians. It should only happen, and soon!

Most of the sessions I attended were well-presented and of use to me in my work as a synagogue librarian. These are the ones I attended:

1. Variant Record Structures in the Cataloging of Judaica Non-Book Materials Implications for the Primacy of MARC - presenter Bella Hass Weinberg; Liturgical Rites, Revisited Implications for the Cataloging of Jewish Liturgy...presenter Daniel Lovins; Metadata, Digitization and the Cairo Geniza...presenters Heidi Lerner and Seth Jerchowe. The first presenter, Ms. Weinberg, was an especially excellent speaker.

2. Historical Fiction for Young People an Author and a Librarian Talk about the Process and the Product, presenters Anne Dublin and Linda Silver. Anne Dublin, a teacher, librarian and author, spoke on the process of writing her recently published book for young readers, Written on the Wind. It was particularly interesting to hear about how she researched her books of historical fiction.

3. Potpourri Dealing With Your Board, presenter Abigail Yasgur; Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hasafran, presenter Yossi Galron; Putting on a Book Fair, presenter Rachel Erlich; Oy! My Aching Back!, presenter Mara Sokolsky. The last topic was really a pitch for something called the Alexander technique, which I had hear of previously, and which is basically exercises to improve posture, body awareness, and so on. It was probably good to have Yossi speak on Hasafran, for those who do not yet know of it.
The topic Dealing With Your Board was quite well presented. The one on book fairs was of particular interest to me, but I found virtually everything discussed was something of which I was already aware. In a way, though, this was a comfort - at least I did not feel as though I had been operating completely in the dark for the past few years when it came to our running our synagogue's book fair!

4. Jewish Images in the Christian Church Art as the Mirror of Jewish-Christian Conflict 200-1250 C.E., presenter Henry Claman. I found this session to be fascinating and well presented by Dr. Claman, a medical doctor and art historian. The only problem was that he had more material than really fit into the time slot, and unlike some other presenters, who in those circumstances simply ran over and left less time for whomever came after, Dr. Claman speeded up the last part of the session a lot and had to skip over quite a bit at the end. This was unfortunate, since I would have really liked to see and hear about everything.

5. Jewish Children's Literature: What's Hot and What's Not? The Sydney Taylor Awards, Parts 1 and 2 - presenters the Sydney Taylor Awards committee. I always attend this, as I do a lot of work with the children in our congregation, and I never fail to find it to be a lively double session, filled with information of much use to me, and a great chance to discuss books for children with other librarians. The Sydney Taylor awards this year went to Elsa Okon Rael, for Rivka's First Thanksgiving (for younger readers), Catherine Reef, Sigmund Freud Pioneer of the Mind (biography for younger readers), Karen Schwabach, A Pickpocket's Tale (manuscript award), Shmuel Spector and Geoffrey Wigoder, eds. Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust (reference book award), and Robert Singerman, compiler, Jewish Serials of the World... (bibliography award). The authors and editors spoke at the Tuesday evening banquet. I thought Elsa Okon Rael's and Karen Schwabach's speeches were particularly good. They

6. The Boulder Connection Meditation and Mysticism, presenter Rabbi Nadia Gross; Jewish Renewal and its Literature, presenter Rabbi Victor Gross. The presenters, a husband and wife team, spoke on Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, and what they term Jewish renewal. Some of the presentation touched on what seemed pretty New Agey themes, but I found it interesting and was glad to have attended, as I have recently been getting more requests from congregants on mysticism and spirituality, and they recommended some titles which I thought might be good additions to our library's collection.

7. The Jews of China, presenter Jonathan Adelman; Bringing Jewish Children's Books to China; presenter Lois Ruby. Jonathan Adelman gave an excellent presentation on the history, going back over a thousand years, of the Jewish community in China. Ms. Ruby is doing a project collecting books on Jewish themes or by Jewish authors to send to children in China, as a kind of cultural exchange activity. Another session on the history of Jews, which I did not attend, but which I know was excellent, was, The Sephardic Legacy in New Mexico a History of the Crypto-Jews, presenter Stanley Hordes. I had already heard him give this talk at a Women's American ORT convention in Texas a couple of years ago. If you ever have a chance to hear Mr. Hordes talk on this subject, you should - his presentation is terrific.