Library photos featured in Smithsonian magazine

Photographs from the Monroe County Public Library’s digital archive are featured in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian magazine. In the article, “Seeing Is Believing”, senior editor Laura Helmuth describes how historical marine ecologists analyzed the library’s collection of vintage charter fishing photographs. “The most striking difference”, Helmuth writes, “is in the fish: they get smaller and fewer, and species disappear with the passage of time.”

The featured photographs are from 1957, 1958 and 1983 and show tourists with their prize catches from the Greyhound and Gulfstream charter fishing boats. Capts. Tony Tarracino and Tommy Lones are pictured.

Historian Tom Hambright and Library Administrator Anne Layton Rice have been digitizing and mounting web-based photo exhibits of the Library’s archives since 2001. These images have also been featured in Nature magazine and several books and TV productions. The Library’s digital collection can be viewed from the “Keys History Sites” link at www.keyslibraries.org.

May- June, 2008

Speaking of Continuing Education Coordinator, a fond goodbye goes out to Chris Jones. This is his last week in the office. I told him at the membership meeting at the Ave Maria University Library, in front of forty people, that he couldn’t leave till the new web site was up. I guess he is going to really go now. Much as we will miss him, we are excited to see him go on to get his Ph.D.!

SWLFLN is working with the Human Resources Department of Florida Gulf Coast University in anticipation of posting the position this week and next. It will be advertised on the FGCU employment page and Florida Library Jobs.

Committees and Interest Groups:

The Audit Committee met on April 30 at Lakes Regional Library to review the audit. Members Jill Horrom, Chair; Anna Carlin, and Marilyn Graham were in attendance along with SWFLN staff Luly Castro and Sondra Taylor-Furbee. The Audit was accepted as presented and it was recommended that Cindy D’Artagnan, CPA, be retained to conduct the audit for 2008.

The Legislative Committee will meet August 20 at the South County Regional Library of the Lee County Library System.

The Membership Committee is hosting a Pizza Party on July 25, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The program is for new librarians or library students in need of networking and job hunting tips and for librarians who want to know more about SWFLN committees and interest groups. It will include a panel of speakers who will discuss getting a job, interviewing tips, etc. Please come and join us!

Director’s Meetings and Visits

May 8-10 Solinet Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA

May 13 Meeting with J. Robert Verbesey, SWFLN Treasurer, Meeting with Mary Vollmer and Marnie Paulus of Canterbury School

May 29 Meeting with Kay Oistad, Board President

June 2 Meeting with Ava Barrett, Lee County Library System, on Traveling Exhibit Grant

June 5 Meeting of Multitype Library Cooperative Executive Directors at Central Florida Library Cooperative

June 10 Meeting with Brad Ward, Executive Director of NEFLIN, on future workshops

June 17 Summer Membership Meeting, Ave Maria University Library

June 18 Delivery of SWFLN computer and printer to The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum for use in the library and Groundbreaking for Lee County Northwest Regional Library in Cape Coral
June 26 Meeting with James Green, Board Member of Lee Memorial Health System, and Dr. Robert Scott, Curator of the Musuem of Medical History