May 2009 Montana State Library Programs on OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries)

The Montana State Library is pleased to offer three one-hour online programs on Government Information for public and school librarians during the month of May.  The programs will air weekly on Wednesdays starting May 13 and they are presented by Jennie Burroughs, Government Documents Librarian at Mansfield Library, University of Montana.  The programs will be offered in the Montana State Library’s OPAL online meeting room: http://www.conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rse789fe1d291b  (see access information below).  Here’s the lineup:

Wednesday, May 13   12:30 – 1:30pm

For a More Informed Citizenry:  Libraries and Government 2.0 (presentation slides)

Listen to the audio archive of the program.

A program on public access to government information and the role libraries play in that access.  This session will include a civics refresher and an overview of new government 2.0 tools that foster citizen engagement.  1 CE contact hour – Library Services to the Public

Wednesday, May 20   12:30 – 1:30pm

Get ‘em while they’re young:  Gov Docs for Kids (and Teens) (presentation slides)

Listen to the audio archive of the program.

This program features  government websites for kids, government curriculum tools, and information-rich, easy-to-use government websites that will help with student projects.  1 CE contact hour – Library Services to the Public

Wednesday, May 27    12:30 – 1:30pm

It’s got a good beat and you can dance to it: Gov Docs Top 10 (presentation slides)

View the archived presentation (you have to wait a couple of minutes for the screen shots to begin)

10 government websites that all libraries can access and shouldn’t live without.  1 CE contact hour – Library Services to the Public

You can attend any or all three sessions.  Registration is not required.  For participants in the Montana Certification Program:  CE credit in Library Services to the Public will be awarded for all the sessions you attend at the end of the programs, around June 1.  

*To earn credit for attending these sessions please complete the CE Activity Report and return it by email to Lauren at lmcmullen@mtlib.org .

Montana State Library’s OPAL room can be found on the OPAL (Online Programming for all Libraries) website:  http://opal-online.org  (look under the “online rooms” tab).  Direct links to the meeting room are also available with the meeting announcements on the Montana Library Event Calendar: http://msl.mt.gov/calendar .  The OPAL room has 25 seats, so arrive early to make sure you get one and get ready for the session.  Like other online meeting environments, the OPAL room involves download of a plug-in for first time users – that takes a couple of minutes.  The meeting room uses Voice Over IP (VoIP) so you will need speakers on your computer to listen and you will use text chat to submit your questions and comments.  The sessions will be recorded and archived so you can review them later if you can’t make the meetings in live time.

Please contact me at lmcmullen@mtlib.org  if you have any questions about the sessions.  I hope you’ll be able to join us!