What's New at Your State Library
Winter 2013 issue of Trustee
NOVELNY (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library) use continues to grow with 5,600 libraries participating statewide and more than 55 million searches in 2012, an increase of 35% from 2011! Through NOVELNY, New Yorkers can access JobNow, a Brainfuse product that provides expert resume help, real-time interview coaching, career and job search advice and an Adult Learning Center, in English and Spanish. Check out the databases freely available to New York libraries and residents at http://www.novelnewyork.org.
Connect2Compete Digital Literacy Initiative – New York is working in partnership with ALA, IMLS and others on the Connect2Compete digital literacy initiative. The national Ad Council will launch a $90 million national campaign in Spring 2013 to promote the importance of digital literacy and encourage people to take advantage of the technology services offered at local public libraries. More about the Connect2Compete initiative is found at: www.connect2compete.org
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on Tour! This Fall, the only surviving handwritten draft of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (EP) traveled to eight cities throughout New York. Over 30,000 New Yorkers visited the exhibition. The EP is a State Library treasure. For more information visit: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/ep/
Digital Audio Books And Players Are Popular! The New York State Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) provides digital books and players to all registered borrowers who qualify for talking book services in New York State. A portion of the digital audio collection, currently about 9,000 titles, is in cartridge format and is sent FREE to eligible borrowers at their home or affiliated institutions, such as schools or health facilities. Borrowers can also download the complete digital audio collection, currently over 28,000 titles, using BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download). BARD is overseen by the National Library Service at the Library of Congress. Institutions like schools, senior centers, and health facilities as well as public libraries may also now apply for a BARD account to assist their patrons.
New Netherland in a Nutshell by Firth Haring Fabend is the story of New Netherland from the exploration of Henry Hudson in 1609 to the final transfer of the Dutch colony to the English in 1674. The book introduces key aspects of New Netherland that persisted long after the area became New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. One copy of the paperback will be provided for free by the New Netherland Institute for each public library and academic library in the state.
Research Library Digital Collections Now Available Through ArchivalWare! Collections include born digital documents and items from a variety of formats scanned by the State Library. Historical collections cover a large array of 18th and 19th century materials from many subject areas, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Native American materials, and New York State laws and natural history.
