The New Jersey State Library is honoring its commitment to lead libraries into the future by sending Peggy Cadigan, Consultant for Innovation and Communication, to this year’s World Future Society Conference.  The conference will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 29-31, 2007 and this year’s theme is: World Future 2007: Fostering Hope and Vision for the 21st Century.  In order for libraries to remain relevant, we must stay connected to the world at large and position ourselves to provide services and information our future customers will require.

According to the World Future Society Website, more than 1,000 futurists are expected to attend this conference.  Participants include: Gregory Stock of the UCLA School of Public Health; Helen Fisher of Rutgers University, author of Why We Love; Tor Dahl, founder, president and CEO of Tor Dahl Associates; Nat Irvin II of Wake Forest University; Ronald Bailey of Reason magazine, and dozens of other thinkers and experts from institutions such as the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, MIT, eBay, the Inter-American Development Bank, and others.

Can’t attend this year’s conference?  Here’s a free peek into the future from the World Future Society:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asl7_7cbjBc]

2008 Scholastic Library Publishing
National Library Week Grant
Theme: “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library®”

The Scholastic Library Publishing National Library Week grant will award $5,000 to a single U.S. library for the best public awareness campaign during National Library Week 2008. All types of libraries and library organizations are welcome to apply.
This year’s grant focuses on the National Library Week theme, “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library®.” All proposals must use this theme.
Funds are to be used to support the winner’s National Library Week promotional activities as outlined in the application and cannot be used for capital expenses, such as books or equipment.

DEADLINE:
Applications must be postmarked by October 1, 2007

Application form and more information are available at the ALA website