The Library of Virginia is currently engaged in the process of
evaluating the Five-Year Plan under which the Library spends Library
Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds that flow to Virginia from the
Institute of Museum and Library Services, the federal agency charged
with keeping library and museum services strong throughout the United
States. The total amount that Virginia receives is close to $4 million.
We spend much of it on programs that benefit citizens using local public
libraries across Virginia (the Find It Virginia databases, the Summer
and Winter Reading Programs for youth, training for library directors
and staff, among other things).  But we also use a portion of these
federal dollars to cover the Library of Virginia's staff and programs,
particularly those that benefit historians, genealogists, and educators.

 
LSTA funds are used to support the conservation and digitization of
original materials that are made available through the Library's
Virginia Memory website; resource sharing (such as Interlibrary Loan and
Reference services); equipment that increases access to historical
materials (such as new microfilm readers that allow downloading of
images directly onto flash drives); education programs that feature
unique Virginia documents and items from the Library's collections--
just to name a few of the most important LSTA-funded activities.  

This year's evaluation is critical. Congress is looking for reasons to
eliminate discretionary funding such as LSTA and they will need
convincing that these dollars have an impact on Virginians in a way that
is compelling.  Without the LSTA program, our ability to make unique
Virginia documents, photographs, etc. available to researchers would be
seriously hampered.  

We have contracted with Lyrasis, a not-for-profit library consortium, to
help us gather data for our evaluation report.  Lyrasis will be holding
a series of focus groups across Virginia, asking citizens and library
staff how programs supported with LSTA funds have made a difference in
their lives. There will be two focus groups at the Library in Richmond
on Thursday, November 10.  The first is from 10:30 AM to noon and the
second is from 1:00 to 2:30 PM.  We have a number of library users,
historians, and genealogists signed up to participate, but there are
still a few open slots.  If you live in the greater Richmond area and
use the Library's collections -- in the reading room or online -- and
you might be willing to participate in one of these focus groups, please
contact Jan Hathcock at [log in to unmask] and let her know
which of the two time slots would be most convenient.  

Thanks to those who have already signed up to help.  The LSTA program
makes a huge difference, in Virginia and across the United States, and
it is important that we capture the impact that the program has.
 
Best,
 
   Sandy Treadway
 
____________________
Sandra Gioia Treadway
Librarian of Virginia/State Archivist
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia  23219-8000
(804) 692-3535
[log in to unmask]
 
 
 
 

______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html