News from Prince Edward Island
Submitted by Dawn Hooper
PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE
Contributed by Nichola Cleaveland
Name Change
The Provincial Library Service has changed its name to Public Library Service. The new name better reflects who we are and what we do, which is the delivery of public library service to residents of Prince Edward Island. Our patrons already regard us as a system of public libraries, so the new name will make perfect sense to them! This change is also intended to better reflect the partnership between the Public Library Service and Island communities.
Nora Bateson Award for Excellence in Library Service
2008 marked the 75th anniversary of the Carnegie Demonstration Project establishing a province-wide, public library system on Prince Edward Island. The success of this project was largely due to the efforts its Director, and our province's very first librarian, Nora Bateson.
In 1933, Ms. Bateson crisscrossed the province convincing Islanders of the need for a public library service. From Women's Institutes to school boards to parish halls to individuals on the street, she passionately championed community libraries. Her efforts paid off. The first library opened in Oct 1933 in Montague. By the end of the year five branches were open and within three years 22 branches were operating across the island.
Ms. Bateson did everything from recruiting and training staff to ordering materials to operating the province's first bookmobile out of the trunk of her car! Her initiative and commitment to libraries and to the people of Prince Edward Island were exemplary.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Public Library Service, the Nora Bateson Award for Excellence in Library Service was created. On December 2, 2008 the inaugural Nora Bateson Award for 
Excellence in Library Service was awarded to Mary Lou Hansen, manager of the Children’s Loft at Confederation Centre Public Library.
The Award was presented to Mary Lou by Hon. Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour. “Mary Lou exemplifies the initiative and commitment to excellence that Nora Bateson stood for,” said Minister Bertram. “Thanks to Mary Lou, the Children’s Loft is a vibrant, active destination for infants, toddlers and children. She has also been involved in the creation of an area within the library for teens, and she always demonstrates enthusiasm and dedication to public library service.” Congratulations, Mary Lou, on being the first recipient of this Award!
Family Literacy Day
A number of activities were held in public libraries across the province to celebrate Family Literacy Day (Tuesday, January 27th). The activities included “Family Fun Word Games”, “Family Scrabble”, and Read-a-thons. Five public libraries participated in a Canada-wide attempt at a new Guinness world record for “Most Children Reading With an Adult, Multiple Locations.”
Great Maritime Achievers Exhibition
Confederation Centre Public Library in Charlottetown is currently hosting an exhibit called Great Maritime Achievers. This is a traveling exhibition created by Science East in Fredericton. Eleven great Maritime achievers in science and technology (including two from Prince Edward Island) are featured in individual displays with hands-on exhibits. The units offer insight on the ingenuity, early discoveries and important scientific contributions of our scientific pioneers.
The exhibition is sponsored by Heritage Canada's Museum Assistance Program, the New Brunswick Culture and Sport Secretariat, the University of New Brunswick and the Association of Professional Engineers & Geo-scientists of New Brunswick. For further information on Science East, visit their website at http://www.scienceeast.nb.ca.
AWE Early Literacy Stations™
The Public Library Service has recently purchased four AWE Early Literacy Stations™. These self-contained units are intended for use by toddlers through second graders, with the added bonus of use by new English language learners. Each Early Literacy Station™ includes more than thirty-seven educational software packages spanning seven curricular areas and is top rated by Children's Technology Review. The Early Literacy Station™ has an imaginative interface that encourages exploration and comes complete with a colorful keyboard and tiny mouse.
UPEI ROBERTSON LIBRARY
Submitted by Suzanne Jones
We are in the process of changing our virtual reference Crafty Syntax software for LibraryH3lp software which will allow us to embed a chat widget in our home-page as well as identify the “track” our patrons are using to chat with us (from a Moodle course, our website or through the catalogue). It’s slightly more complicated than Crafty to set up but since it uses instant messaging, virtual reference questions can be sent to us from mobile phones, etc. It’ll be ready for February.
The Information and Circulation functions are now sharing one Desk in the Library. The former Information Desk has been dismantled and a coffee shop is being built with an expected up-and-running date in mid-February. Different coffees have been tested by eager library patrons who have submitted their coffee reviews. New carpeting in the Lobby has also replaced the existing carpeting -- giving the Lobby a fresh new look.
As the main floor of the Library is undergoing renovations both current (Coffee Shop) and planned (Learning Commons), there was some discussions as to how we still provide an environment for those students requiring/wanting a quiet study space. Current thought is that we “split” the Library into zones; the second floor will be the quieter zone. More on this as we see how things progress.
Renovations in the Special Collections area continue -- especially to accommodate the L. M. Montgomery Institute.
The Robertson Library now offers SMART Board technology in two of its bookable group study rooms and early reports from our users are quite positive. Now, if we can just hide those permanent markers!
The posting for the Collections & Digital Resources Librarian position closed on December 15, 2008. The Library Appointments Committee (LAC) has been struck and is in the process of evaluating submissions.
Many Library staff members are now using MACs and a new Language Lab, Collaboratory and Learning Commons, using Mac computers, are planned with installation/implementation this summer.
