Hot Topics Blog

Has the upcoming resignation of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens sparked your interest in the U.S. Supreme Court?

The Social Science and History Department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library/State Library Resource Center has gathered together a number of links and pieces of information about the Court. Resources on Supreme Court cases, justices, opinions, how the appointment process works, and more are included.

The Highest Court in the Land: the U.S. Supreme Court

This week is National Library Week, and author Neil Gaiman is honorary chair. Tell us on Facebook, Twitter, via e-mail, or in person why you love your library and why it's important to you!

Want another great way to celebrate your library? You can help support Harford County Public Library during the upcoming public budget hearings! Learn more

The Winds and Words of War exhibit, currently on display at the Bel Air and Jarrettsville branches, received a nice write-up by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The article has information on the history of the posters and exhibit, as well as a number of images of the posters. Read the article here: http://blog.seattlepi.com/bookpatrol/archives/200120.asp

Congratulations to Audra Caplan, Director, Harford County Public Library, for her ATHENA Award nomination and to Lucie Snodgrass, Chair, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees, for being presented with the ATHENA Award! Audra and Lucie were recognized at the 9th Annual Women's Leadership Reception & ATHENA Award Presentation on Friday, March 12, 2010 at the Richlin Ballroom in Edgewood.

ABOUT THE ATHENA

The ATHENA Award, presented by the Small Business Development Center's Women's Business Assistance Program, recognizes a woman excelling in her profession, serving the community and actively assisting women in their realization of professional excellence and leadership skills. The award highlights the recipient's accomplishments, in addition to paving a path for future successes. By honoring exceptional leaders, the ATHENA Award program seeks to inspire others to achieve excellence.

Nominations are solicited from across the county; finalists are chosen by a selection committee and an ATHENA sculpture is awarded to an exceptional individual in the community who meets the specific criteria listed. The ATHENA Award Program celebrates the potential of all women as valued members and leaders of the community and recognizes those who support women as well as honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment - women and men who excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community in a meaningful way and who open paths so that others may follow.

ATHENA recipients must meet each of three specific criteria:

• Assisting women in reaching their full leadership potential
• Demonstrating excellence, creativity, and initiative in her business or profession
• Providing valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community

AUDRA CAPLAN

Director, Harford County Public Library
Audra Caplan believes all of us have the potential to be leaders and that good leaders create an environment where people in any position have an opportunity to lead, work in a team atmosphere, feel free to offer suggestions, take initiative, and challenge the status quo for the purpose of improving service or making a difference. Great organizations depend on great staff. Audra has learned never to settle for mediocrity - in the people that are hired or the service that is delivered.

As a leader, you should have a great passion for the work you do. Always being dedicated to serving youth, that passion has led to leadership positions at the state and national levels.

Being very lucky to have great mentors at every pivotal point in her career, she strives to reciprocate as much as possible.

LUCIE SNODGRASS

State Director, US Senator Barbara Mikulski
Lucie's leadership style is best summed up in four words: respect, collaborate, challenge and empower. She strongly believes that people do their best work when they feel valued and respected; when they are included in planning, decision making and implementation at the appropriate levels; and when they are challenged and empowered to use their skills and knowledge to help build and strengthen their organization or business.

Whether someone's job is packing boxes or designing rockets, every employee needs to know that what he or she does is important - and that others depend on them to perform at a high level.

That's how she tries to lead. Leadership is not about making yourself strong; it is about making everyone on your team stronger so that your mission is served and your goals are met.

As a woman in a senior management position, Lucie looks for opportunities to mentor, to encourage and to promote good employees that may have been previously overlooked or neglected in their organization; oftentimes, those employees are women, people with disabilities and people of color.

In sum, as a leader she strives to model the very characteristics that she looks for and tries to instill in everyone that she works with.

Full access to your library account is now available directly in our iPhone app, HCPL Mobile. Enter your library card number and PIN, and you can see your items out, requests, My List items, fines and fees, and profile information. More information: hcplonline.info/hcplmobile.

Already installed HCPL Mobile to your phone's home screen? You will automatically access the new version when you next open the app.

Labels: HCPL Mobile

Winds & Words of War
Posters & Prints from the San Antonio Public Library

This collection of 40 original images from WWI will be on display at the Bel Air & Jarrettsville Branches of Harford County Public Library from March 20 - May 31, 2010. This wonderful exhibit features artwork not seen in public since 1933. This is your opportunity to see some great illustrations and glimpse a bit of American history.

PREVIEW PARTY:
The Bel Air location will host a preview party offering guests the chance to see the exhibit before it opens to the public.

Friday, March 19
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
$20 ticket price
($15 of your ticket price is a tax-deductible donation to the HCPL Foundation)
Includes appetizers by Carried Away Gourmet and beverages by Bottleworks

Are you curious about who Maryland's Poet Laureate is and what he does in his official capacity? The Humanities Department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library/State Library Resource Center has put together a great new guide explaining what a Poet Laureate does and who is currently filling the position. You can find it here: http://www.prattlibrary.org/locations/humanities/index.aspx?id=42722

Maximizing Library Resources - A Strategic Plan for Harford County Public Library is now available online: http://www.hcplonline.info/about/facts/strategicplan/

The State Library Resource Center, located at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, put together a list of fun and informative resources about the Olympics: http://www.prattlibrary.org/locations/bst/index.aspx?id=26536

Health and safety information, weather forecasts, and instructions on building snow forts. Stay safe and enjoy the snow!

http://delicious.com/AskUsNow/Blizzard2010