Jamaican rural public library stages annual Boys' Reading Day

Author: ALICIA SUTHERLAND
Title: "Reading is a 'man ting': Boys urged to read, read, read ..."
Source: Jamaica Observer
Date: Tuesday, May 07, 2013
URL:  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Reading-is-a--man-ting-_14211980

Abstract:

The article reports on an annual outreach programme by the Manchester Parish Library Network to promote reading among males in the parish. At the event for this year, the article reports on speeches by the director of the Manchester Parish Library Network, Lorraine McLean giving what appears to be a rationale for the programme and the idea behind it.  McLean also provides information on how the programme originated in the parish and why it was adopted. The event also featured speeches from two male role models, namely the head of the Area Three Police (Manchester, Clarendon and St Elizabeth) Derrick Knight and Larone Reid, a student of Holmwood Technical High School, all emphasizing the importance and benefits of reading for males. The article further reports on other activities that took place during the day's events.

Excerpt:

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Faced with data that boys, especially, are not doing well at the Grade Four Literacy Test, the Manchester Parish Library Network has undertaken a programme to promote reading in some of the worse performing schools in the parish.
It hosts an annual Boys' Reading Day, in addition to monthly interactive sessions in individual schools.
"Boys, especially, are not doing well in the grade four literacy exam. Boys learn differently from girls and that's important for teachers to understand and be a little more creative...," regional director for the library network Lorraine McLean said.

Seminar introduces Jamaican librarians to Resource Description and Access (RDA)

Author: Andrea Braham,
Title: All Jamaicans Urged to Embrace Technology
Source: Jamaica Information Service
Date published: 16 April 2013
URL: http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/leads-111/33581


Abstract:

The article reports on speeches delivered to a group of librarians and information specialists attending a seminar to introduce the implementation of a new international cataloguing system, Resource Description and Access (RDA). The event was hosted by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), the Library and Information Association of Jamaica and National Library of Jamaica.The objectives of the seminar are stated, namely to create national awareness of the introduction and implementation of RDA and to educate and inform all members of the Jamaica Library and Information Network (JAMLIN) community and Information Technology personnel about the system.




In the speech by the Jamaican State Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson, he mentions the Government's efforts to connect the libraries, post offices and schools is part of an overall strategy to ensure universal access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services for Jamaicans. The Minister further reports statistics regarding the establishment of community access point projects, whereby computer labs and Internet cafes have been established in churches and other public sites. Mr. Robinson is also reported as stating that librarians need to change the services they offer to students and youth.


Also reported is the Head of the Cataloguing Section at the University of the West Indies, Rosemarie Runcie. Ms. Runcie notes that the new RDA system has emerged in response to the changing nature of how users discover and access information. She is further reported as saying that the new system is an improved version of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) currently used in Jamaica. She also reports on what the RDA tool kit contains and how it differs from the AACR2.

President of the Library and Information Association of Jamaica, Matthew Blake, is also cited as urging his colleagues to begin early adoption of the system in their various organizations.



Excerpt:

In the meantime, Head of the Cataloguing Section at the University of the West Indies, Rosemarie Runcie, noted that the new RDA system has emerged in response to the changing nature of how users discover and access information.

She assured them that the new system is an improved version of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2), currently being used in Jamaica.

“The RDA tool kit contains all the important areas, but with a few additional ones, created especially to accommodate more information about the resources themselves and in particular online resources and about the creators, so as to help us better identify them,” Ms. Runcie informed.

The RDA will also provide rules and guidelines to facilitate the description and access of all digital and analogue material, resulting in records that can be used in a variety of digital environments.

President of the Library and Information Association of Jamaica, Matthew Blake, urged his colleagues to begin using the system in their various organizations, as early as possible.

“A new standard is out. The world we interact with has begun to use it…So, as the world starts, we must also move to be in tandem with what is happening across the globe. Information is dynamic and we as dynamic professionals must move with it, to ensure that our clients (also) move to access that information that they need in a timely manner,” Mr. Blake urged.

Jamaican alumni association plans fundraising concert for digital library project

Title: Classical duo to perform at Mico - School to use concert funds to digitise library
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
Date published: April 16, 2013
URL: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130416/ent/ent2.html

Abstract:
This article reports on a fundraising event planned by the Mico Old Student Association (MOSA). The fundraiser is a concert featuring two Jamaican international classical vocal artistes. Funds raised from ticket purchases  for the concert are to go towards digitisation of the archives and scholarly collections of The Mico's Renford Shirley Library. The project is estimated at $10-million. When completed, the digital library will feature a gallery of historical photographs, early prints, as well as newspaper and journal articles. The new digital library will also provide users with the opportunity to tag and add metadata. The college librarian, Vinell Spied, is briefly reported as giving a statement on the importance of this digital library initiative.

Excerpt:


Two of Jamaica's internationally acclaimed classical artistes, Curtis Watson and Pauline Forrest-Watson, will be the featured performers at the Mico Old Student Association's (MOSA) fund-raising concert entitled 'Evening of Classical Ballads', scheduled to take place at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

The concert is being held under the distinguished patronage of Sir Kenneth and Lady Hall.

While patrons attending this event will get another opportunity to enjoy the musical mastery of the classical couple, they will also be contributing to MOSA's efforts to preserve and digitise the extensive historical archives and scholarly collections of The Mico's Renford Shirley Library, to create a more user-centred information portal that can be shared locally and globally.