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 MOVING FORWARD
Jennifer Keohane, Executive Director
I love change - it's one of the reasons I became a librarian. CLC is once again undergoing some exciting changes. Over the next few weeks, the board and I will be selecting a business development consultant to help us take the long, long list of opportunities we've identified and turn them into short- and long-term plans to make CLC a stronger and more financially diversified organization. In addition, we will be bringing on some new staff who will contribute energy and new ideas to our small but mighty team.
Some change is bittersweet. Our Member Relations Manager, Ellen Paul, has accepted the position of director of the East Hampton (CT) Public Library, right in her new hometown. I feel very fortunate to have had a year of Ellen's strong relationship building skills, project management, and can-do attitude. While I am very sad to see her go, I am happy that she has achieved her long-time goal of directing a public library. She will make an amazing library director who I am sure will quickly make as positive impact on that organization as she has made on CLC.
We've drawn on our community to help us during this time of transition. Jennifer Datum, CLA's editor/webmaster, and Trish Connolly Tomlinson, former director of the Durham Public Library, are lending their time and talent to our team in the short term. Jennifer and Trish will work alongside our amazingly adaptable long-time team member Christine Sarrazin, and our specialists Lisa Mann, Laura Marcella and Kate Bengtson, to assist you until we are once again fully staffed.
Obviously, there has been a lot of change for CLC in a short period of time. But with your support, along with the assistance of our amazing board of trustees and the contributions of the talented and devoted CLC staff, CLC will be moving forward toward a stronger future.
Warmly,
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MOVING ON
Ellen Paul, Member Relations Manager
Dear Members,
By now you know that I'm leaving the CT Library Consortium. Friday will be my last day, and after that I'll be the director of my hometown public library in East Hampton.
It was a difficult decision to leave CLC. I've only been here a year, and it feels like there is so much more to do. That said, I've wanted to be a library director since I was 15 years old working for Louise Bailey at the Mansfield Public Library. Louise was a mentor to me, she was a guidepost, and because she believed I had leadership qualities, eventually I believed it too. When the position of library director opened in my hometown, I had to apply.
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Ellen's travel map. Red=roundtables, blue=member visits, orange=everything else.
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It was one year ago, almost to the day, that I started here at CLC, and I feel bad about leaving so soon. This job has allowed me to meet amazing people all over the state. It's allowed me to see parts of the state that I had never been to before. This job further affirmed for me that Connecticut has hidden gems around every corner. Of course, I'm referring to the people - although the landscape is beautiful too.
Everywhere I've gone, people have told me how much they trust CLC. How much they appreciate the organization, its work and the services provided. I want you to know that this organization is just as special as you think it is. I've worked in libraries in 3 different states. What we have in Connecticut doesn't exist other places. The cooperation among Connecticut libraries is rare and it's special. It's something we should fight to preserve.
I feel so privileged to be a very small part of the CT Library Consortium's story, but I'm also looking forward to the future. To the staff in East Hampton, if you're reading this, I'm so excited to work with you! I have no doubt that public libraries have the power to change lives, build community and strengthen towns. On the eve of East Hampton's 250th anniversary, together we will make the library an essential part of East Hampton's bright future.
Finally, just a note to Jennifer and Christine at CLC. Thank you both for a wonderful year. I'm sad that this May I'll attend CLA as just an attendee rather than an exhibitor. (Secret fact: it's way more fun to be an exhibitor!) I'll miss Hobo the cat, tofu pad thai lunches, and the crazy energy of this place. Most of all, I'll miss you both.
I'm not going to end this by saying goodbye. Of course I'll miss traveling to see all of you, but this isn't the end. Connecticut is a small state, and perhaps I'll see you at a roundtable. Maybe, though, I'll let someone else bring the CLC pads and pens!
All the best to all of you,
Ellen
Contact Ellen through Friday at 860.344.8777 x104 or epaul@ctlibrarians.org.
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SAVINGS HIGHLIGHTS
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BOOK EXPO
YES, we have discounts! CLC members save $20 on either a 1-day or a 3-day pass to BookExpo, May 31 - June 2 at the Javits Center in New York. Registration is open now - register by April 30 to save. We will run at least one bus on Friday, June 2.
ctlibrarians.org/bookexpo
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Are you taking advantage of your CLC discounts? Visit ctlibrarians.org to learn more about these and many other offers!
PROQUEST & GOBI WEBINARS FOR ACADEMICS - With our print book contracts launched last summer, CLC brought on 2 suppliers specifically for academic libraries' print needs. Now we've set up webinars with both so you can see their ordering portals and learn more about discounts and services:
INGRAM & MACKIN WEBINARS FOR SCHOOLS - School members, your Baker & Taylor discounts will end June 30 - but you still have excellent choices for your book buying. Mackin and Ingram are CLC contracted book suppliers eager to work with K-12 schools, and we've been hosting webinars to introduce you to them. If you missed our Mackin webinars, a recorded version is available
HERE. Our final Ingram webinar is this Thursday 3/9 at 3pm -
REGISTER HERE.
SCOLA - SCOLA is a non-profit web service that provides language and cultural resources in more than 175 languages - and we're offering it for the CRAZY price of just $100 for publics & schools, or 30% off for academics, until 3/14! Price goes up 3/15 so don't delay!
LEARN MORE
BROWSEALOUD - For public libraries.
Browsealoud is an innovative suite of online accessibility tools for your website and public computers that eliminates the need for dedicated adaptive equipment - all at a great CLC discount!
LEARN MORE
NON-PRINT CONTRACTS EXTENDED - CLC's current non-print media contracts have been extended again, until March 31. New contracts will now go into effect April 1.
LEARN MORE
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ADVOCACY - CLC and LIBRARIES NEED YOU!
It's budget season, and as we all know, it won't be an easy one. Your help is needed to let legislators know that funding for CLC and libraries matters. Visit our advocacy toolkit for links to keep you up to date and help you find your voice. More info coming soon.
ctlibrarians.org/advocacytoolkit
REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the CT Places Coalition's Annual Advocacy Day at the Capitol on
Wednesday, March 29.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER
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ROUNDTABLES
Mark your calendars & head to a roundtable! Click any link for more details & registration. Get all the latest additions and updates at ctlibrarians.org/events.
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3/8
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3/8
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3/8
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3/8
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Office Administrators
, 12:00pm, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill.
NEW group for library administrative
professionals. Planning meeting, plus tracking expenses. Lunch provided!
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3/9
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Middlesex County School Librarians
, 3:30pm, Xavier High School, Middletown.
Social media, website evaluation & fake news -
plus, demo of the MackinVIA content management system.
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3/13
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3/13
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3/13
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Young Adult Librarians Eastern CT, 3:00pm, Raymond Library, Montville. All about tweens.
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3/14
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New Directors, 10:00am, Somers Public Library. Managing change successfully.
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3/14
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3/15
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3/16
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3/21
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Interlibrary Loan East, 10:00am, Waterford Public Library. ILL news & discussion.
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3/23
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Adult Programmers West, 10:00am, North Haven Memorial Library. Low- & no-cost programs.
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3/23
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Children's Librarians Capitol Region, 12:00pm, Plainville, CT. Storytime 101.
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3/23
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Gaming Roundtable, 7:00pm, Stratford Library. Field trip to Stratford for Retro Game night!
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3/30
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Maker Roundtable, 10:00am, Danbury Hackerspace. Danbury Hackerspace founder Mike Kaltschnee on Innovation Corridors.
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Adult Programming Roundtable Fairfield County, 10:00am, Ferguson Library Harry Bennett Branch, Stamford. Su Epstein on "Leading Tolerance" - social justice programs in libraries. |
| 4/7 |
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Social Justice Roundtable Meetup, 6:00pm, Total Wine & More, West Hartford. Wine tasting and pot luck. Save the date! |
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You have received this newsletter because your library/school is a CLC member or partner, or because you have subscribed to the CLC mailing list.
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