Jan 3 Movement to Highlight Power of Reading on Social Media

My colleagues and I at NYPL invite you to join a social media movement to highlight the power of reading and readers as we start the new year.  Reading builds knowledge, understanding and empathy across the spectrum of readers. 

We want to join with as many libraries and similar organizations (including adult literacy groups) as possible across the country and beyond to inspire readers everywhere to share the books they're currently reading with others using the hashtag #ReadersUnite.

We are working our various channels to help this go viral.  If you want to participate:  

Starting January 3, 2017, please ask your social media followers to post the book they're reading to Facebook, Twitter, and their other social media platforms. Please encourage them to use the hashtag #ReadersUnite in your posts. Selected posts will be shared by NYPL and we encourage you to do the same.

Sample #ReadersUnite posts:

Tell us what you're reading and include hashtag #ReadersUnite in your posts!

Show us what you're reading this January and include hashtag #ReadersUnite in your posts!

Share a pic of your current book with other readers across the country - use hashtag #ReadersUnite!

Our [staff member] is reading [book title] because [reason] #ReadersUnite

 

If you plan to participate, please email readersunite@nypl.org now and after you post on January 3.

 

Christopher Platt

Chief Branch Library Officer

The New York Public Library

christopherplatt@nypl.org

New Education Secretary

New likely U.S. Education Secretary

What stake holders are saying about Betsy Devos...

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/11/28/heres-need-know-betsy-devos/2/

Request for Florida Adult Library Literacy Contacts

As the Bureau of Library Development consultant responsible for providing technical assistance and training on adult library literacy programs and related community partnerships, I am collecting contact information from Florida public library staff who work with instructional or support programs geared toward adult literacy.

Examples of adult educational services provided in Florida include:

·         Volunteers and classes that help adults learn to read better

·         Instructional programs (online or otherwise) that help adults get their high school diploma

·         Collections and classes that help adults pass the GED test

·         Citizenship instruction

·         Small groups and tutors that help non-English speaking adults learn to speak, read or write better English

·         Collections and educational programs tailored to the interests and aspirations of adult learners

·         Partnerships with adult basic education schools and community providers

 

If your public library has staff members or lead volunteers responsible for any adult literacy services, please send me their contact information, including:

·         Name

·         Title

·         Library name

·         Email address

·         Phone number

 

Feel free to contact me with any questions. Sandy Newell Sandy.Newell@dos.myflorida.com
850.245.6624

 

Grant for Public Libraries Due November 15

Grant applications for round five of American Dream @ Your Library are due November 15, 2016. The $5,000 to $10,000 grants are for public libraries for adult English Language Learner services.

 http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2016/10/american-dream-round-five-application-launches

Apply by Nov 4--first draft for application for grant for Adult Volunteer Literacy Programs

Reminder: Send in a draft application by November 4--Final application is due January 31.

If you apply by Friday, November 4, you get 20 extra points and grant writing advice to improve your draft before the January 31 deadline

 

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Announcement 

I am pleased to announce that for another year, Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida, (VALF) will be awarding one or more grants for up to $500 to one of our members. Go here to get the application. The VALF membership application is at the end of the application.

VALF  uses a two-step process for taking applications.  A draft application is due November 4. The VALF board will review the draft and provide the applicant feedback on how to improve the application. Applicants have the chance to rewrite  the application with the final application due January 31. This two-step process allows VALF to provide the value added service of giving  technical assistance to our members on how to improve the grant. This helps our members improve their grant writing skills.

The winner of the grant is announced at the VALF Annual meeting held during the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) Conference in spring 2017.

VALF is an all-volunteer organization. Grants are funded by donations from board members and others.

For more information, email or call Sandy Newell sandy.newell@dos.myflorida.com or 850.245.6624.

 

Voter Registration Tips Ahead of October 11 Deadline

Secretary Detzner Shares Voter Registration Tips Ahead of October 11 Deadline

 

TALLAHASSEE— Secretary of State Ken Detzner released the following statement and shared the following voter registration tips ahead of tomorrow’s voter registration deadline. Individuals not already registered to vote in the State of Florida must submit a complete voter registration application by Tuesday, October 11, in order to participate in the General Election.

 

Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, said, “There is still time for Floridians to register to vote for the General Election. Floridians who have been impacted, or have had to evacuate, during Hurricane Matthew should know they have the option to fill out and/or submit their voter registration application at any Supervisor of Elections office or approved voter registration agency, even if it’s outside their county of residence. Voter registration applications sent by mail to any Supervisor of Elections office, voter registration agency, or the Division of Elections in Tallahassee will be accepted for the upcoming General Election as long as they are postmarked by October 11.

 

“Voters who are unsure of their registration status can visit YourVoteFlorida.com and find links to use the state’s Voter Information Lookup Tool or contact their local Supervisor of Elections office. Voters can also call the state’s main Voter Assistance Hotline at: 1.866.308.6739.”

 

Secretary Detzner is sharing the following tips with Floridians ahead of the upcoming October 11 deadline to register to vote for the General Election:

 

·         If you are unsure of your voter registration status in Florida, check your status using the state’s Voter Information Lookup Tool. You can also call your local Supervisor of Elections office or the state’s main Voter Assistance Hotline at: 1.866.308.6739.

 

·         Fill out the Florida Voter Registration Application, which is available in both English and Spanish (English PDF / Español PDF), on the Division of Elections' website. Print, sign and mail, or hand deliver, the application to a county Supervisor of Elections office, voter registration agency, or the Florida Division of Elections in Tallahassee. Voter registration applications sent by mail and post-marked by October 11 will be accepted.

 

• Apply through any Florida driver's license office or tax collector's office that issues driver's licenses or Florida identification cards; any "voter registration agency" (i.e., any government entity designated by the National Voter Registration Act or state law who must allow you to apply to register, which includes libraries); any supervisor of elections office; or at the Division of Elections in Tallahassee.

 

·         An update to a voter’s signature for the General Election must be submitted no later than the start of the canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots (formerly absentee ballots*), which may start as early as October 24, 2016. Signatures on record are used to verify signatures on ballot certificates before counting provisional and vote-by-mail ballots.

 

According to Florida law, (Section 97.055, Florida Statutes), the deadline to register to vote (also referred to as “bookclosing”) to participate in an upcoming election is 29 days before the election. Florida voters may register to vote or update their registration at any time by notifying their local Supervisor of Elections. Additional information is available on YourVoteFlorida.com.

 

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About ‘Get Ready. Get Set. Vote!’

In 2016, the Department of State is leading an effort to help educate voters through its Get Ready. Get Set. Vote! campaign which provides key voting-related information and resources in one central location on YourVoteFlorida.com. The webpage will be updated to communicate key voter registration and voting information throughout the 2016 election cycle and is also available in a Spanish version.

 

About the Division of Elections

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections supports the Secretary of State, Florida’s Chief Election Officer, in ensuring that Florida has fair and accurate elections. The Division’s three bureaus; the Bureau of Election Records, Bureau of Voter Registration Services, and Bureau of Voting Systems Certification, have several responsibilities in the areas of legal compliance and elections administration to ensure that Florida’s election laws are uniformly interpreted and implemented. The Division also assists local Supervisors of Elections in their duties, and promotes enhanced public awareness and participation in the electoral process. For more information about Florida’s elections, visit dos.myflorida.com/elections/.

 

*Pursuant to Chapter 2016-37, Laws of Florida, beginning July 1, 2016 the term “Absentee Ballot” has changed to “Vote-by-Mail Ballot” in the State of Florida.

 

 

 

The Department of State is committed to excellence. Please take our Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Looking for an interesting twist to tie elections into the biography of Edgar Allen Poe. Check out this story on AwesomeStories.com to learn the theory about Poe’s death.

VALF Grant Opportunity

Hello,

I am pleased to announce that for another year, Volunteers for Adult Literacy in Florida, (VALF) will be awarding one or more grants for up to $500 to one of our members. Go here to get the application. The VALF membership application is at the end of the application.

 

VALF  uses a two-step process for taking applications.  A draft application is due November 4. The VALF board will review the draft and provide the applicant feedback on how to improve the application. Applicants have the chance to rewrite  the application with the final application due January 31. This two-step process allows VALF to provide the value added service of giving  technical assistance to our members on how to improve the grant. This helps our members improve their grant writing skills.

The winner of the grant is announced at the VALF Annual meeting held during the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) Conference in spring 2017.

VALF is an all-volunteer organization. Grants are funded by donations from board members and others.

For more information, email or call Sandy Newell sandy.newell@dos.myflorida.com or 850.245.6624.

 

Thanks,

VALF Board

Vote by Mail Deadlines

Division of Elections Announces Vote-by-Mail Ballot Deadlines for General Election

 

TALLAHASSEE— The Florida Division of Elections announces the following vote-by-mail (formerly referred to as absentee*) ballot mailing deadlines for the upcoming General Election to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016:

 

·         For absent stateside and overseas uniformed service members and overseas civilians (also known as UOCAVA voters), the deadline for Supervisors of Elections to send ballots is Saturday, September 24, 2016.

 

·         For all non-UOCAVA voters, the window for Supervisors of Elections to mail ballots is October 4 - 11, 2016.

 

Voters who would like to request a vote-by-mail ballot should contact their county Supervisor of Elections office. A request for a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to a voter must be received by the Supervisor of Elections before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2016. The last day for Supervisors of Elections to mail vote-by-mail ballots requested for the General Election received after the initial deadlines listed above is Friday, November 4, 2016. A voter may pick up a vote-by-mail ballot from the office of their Supervisor of Elections through the day before the election or, if an emergency exists, on the day of the election.

 

The Division of Elections is providing daily vote-by-mail ballot statistics based on reports filed by the supervisors of elections. To access these statistics, click here. For additional information on 2016 elections dates, vote-by-mail ballots, or how to contact Supervisors of Elections, please visit dos.myflorida.com/elections/.

 

 

 

Early Voting

It's early voting time in Florida - Fox4now

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Early voting ahead of Florida's primary election is about to get underway. Twenty-four counties will open up polling places on Monday for early voting, including several large counties such as Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, and Orange counties. Other counties will start up in the coming week. Voters in Charlotte and Hendry counties can begin voting Monday, while Lee, Collier, and Glades counties begin on Saturday.

 

Free Voting Guide

Get this free voting guide http://literacyfloridavolunteers.blogspot.com/2016/04/free-voting-guide.html

Register by Today to vote on August 30

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2016

CONTACT: Meredith Beatrice, 850.245.6522

 

 

Secretary Detzner Reminds Floridians of Upcoming August 1 Voter Registration Deadline

 

TALLAHASSEE— Secretary of State Ken Detzner released the following statement prior to the upcoming Primary Election on Tuesday, August 30, 2016:

 

“The August 1 deadline to register to vote or update your party affiliation for the Primary Election is only a few days away,” said Secretary of State Ken Detzner. “Voters who are unsure of their registration status can use the Division of Elections Voter Information Lookup Tool, contact their local Supervisor of Elections office or contact the Division’s main Voter Assistance Hotline at: 1.866.308.6739. Voter registration applications sent by mail and post-marked by August 1 will be accepted.”

 

Floridians have several options to exercise their right to vote – voting-by-mail (formerly known as absentee), early voting, or voting at the polls on Election Day. Voters are encouraged to double check their voter registration information, update their signatures, and be aware of the following deadlines in advance of the 2016 Primary Election on Tuesday, August 30:

 

• Individuals not registered to vote in the State of Florida must submit a completed voter registration application by Monday, August 1, in order to participate in Florida’s Primary Election.

 

• Voters who are already registered but want to update their political party affiliation must update their voter registration information by Monday, August 1, in order to have the change in effect for Florida’ Primary Election.
   
• Floridians can check their current voter registration status and polling place by using the State of Florida Voter Lookup tool available on the Division of Elections website at registration.elections.myflorida.com/CheckVoterStatus.

 

• An update to a voter’s signature for provisional and vote-by-mail (formerly absentee) ballot verification purposes for the Primary Election must be submitted no later than the start of the canvassing of absentee ballots, which may start as early as August 15, 2016.

 

• If already registered, Florida voters may update their name and address on their registration at any time by notifying their local Supervisor of Elections. Voters are encouraged to make those updates as soon as possible.

 

Additional information, including how to contact your local Supervisor of Elections, check your voter registration status, and find upcoming election dates, is available on YourVoteFlorida.com.

 

 

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About ‘Get Ready. Get Set. Vote!’

In 2016, the Department of State is leading an effort to help educate voters through its Get Ready. Get Set. Vote! campaign which provides key voting-related information and resources in one central location on YourVoteFlorida.com. The webpage will be updated to communicate key voter registration and voting information throughout the 2016 election cycle and is also available in a Spanish version.

Managing Volunteers Webinar on Aug. 3

Wednesday, Aug 3 (12-1 pm)

Volunteer Management: Creating & Keeping A Network of Supporters (4Good)

 

Join us for a discussion of best practices in volunteer recruitment and retention. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to volunteer management, you will leave with tools that will help you leverage your army of supporters, including:shifting to strategic engagement rather than reactive recruitment;Understanding the volunteer life cycle and what impacts it;Maximizing your retention with stewardship and recognition.

 

For more information and to register, visit: https://4good.org/explore/latest/webinars

I love my librarian award

Nominate your favorite librarian for 2016 I Love My Librarian Award - West Palm Beach FOX (WFLX)

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) invites the public to nominate their favorite librarians for its prestigious 2016 I Love My Librarian Award. The award recognizes the public service of exceptional public, school, college, community college or university librarians who have transformed lives and communities through educational opportunities and lifelong learning. The I Love My Librarian Award was established to show appreciation for the contributions of outstanding librarians and also elevate the field of librarianship. Librarians are valuable community resources that connect people to the information, opportunities and critical technology that they need to help improve their quality of life.

http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian.

Job Opportunity -- Lake County Public Library

For those interested in developing learning opportunities and teaching, we have an excellent opportunity in beautiful Lake County in Central Florida.

https://www.lakecountyfl.gov/departments/human_resources/employment/Job_Details.aspx?rtfid=1917

The official job description is very generic, but this position coordinates the Learning Experience service area in Lake County libraries. Responsibilities include developing curriculum, writing course material, and teaching. Preference will be given to candidates with a strong background in instructional design and development, learning theory, and training.

Apply today!

Paul Alford

Library Services Division Manager

Lake County Library System

2401 Woodlea Road

Tavares, FL 32778

palford@mylakelibrary.org

352-253-6180