Volume
2006, Issue 2
September 11, 2006
Inside this Issue:
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Project Highlights
IIa values having the right people in the right jobs: “Synergy is the highest activity of life; it creates
new untapped alternatives; it values and exploits the mental, emotional, and psychological differences between people.”
—Stephen Covey
Barksdale AFB: Four-star library distinction
Corporate Office: ALISE, SAIN news
Eglin Air Force Base Library:Five-star library hosts children, teens, and reading dogs
Goddard Library Cited for Excellence: Team’s innovation saves library big dollars
Kirtland AFB Library: Team cited for outstanding performance
Langley AFB Library: Bookaneer pirates invade five-star library
United Kingdom Election: Litherland leads European Division, Air Force Sergeants Association
Barksdale AFB
Four-star library distinction
Barksdale library staff have again been recognized for their excellent performance. The staff has achieved four-star distinction from the Air Force. The limited size of the physical facility, which is an element beyond their control, continues to prohibit them from achieving five-star status.
Corporate Office
ALISE. At the end of August 2006, IIa transferred management of the Association for Library and Information Science (ALISE) to the Medical Library Association. During the organization’s time under IIa management, ALISE doubled its personal memberships, dramatically increased the number of subscriptions to its journal, and regained sound financial footing. During the three years of operation, IIa’s ALISE staff organized and facilitated three annual conferences in San Diego, Boston, and San Antonio and conducted the daily business of the organization.
SAIN. IIa staff working on the SAIN project (the Southern Appalachian Information Node of the National Biological Information Intrastructure) attended the Tennessee Technology Corridor Summit in May. The event brings together the region’s eight congressmen and leading business, government, education and economic development leaders in an economic development summit. The Tennessee Valley Corridor runs from North Alabama through East Tennessee into southwest Virginia and southern and eastern Kentucky.
Eglin Air Force Base Library
Five-star library hosts children, teens, and reading dogs 
Children, teens, and furry friends have all been frequent visitors at the Eglin library. This year’s summer reading program, “Cool Books for Hot Days” served over 300 children ages three and up. Special events for the program included the All-American Hero Picnic that showcased local heroes and was attended by Eglin AFB Wing, Group, and Squadron commanders.
Teens are seen in the library more often these days thanks to Carol Scott who launched a Teen Poetry Night in April. That led to a monthly teen meeting that provides the young people with opportunities to share poetry, play games, and do projects. 
Every month, you’ll find some well-behaved “Reading Education Assistance Dogs” at the library (a program provided by Emerald Coast Fur Ever Friends, a local volunteer group and their certified therapy dogs). Children build their reading skills by sitting together and reading aloud to a dog for 20 minutes. Children participate by appointment only, and it’s a very popular program.
Goddard Library Cited for Excellence
Team’s innovation saves library big dollars
In June, the Goddard Library Team won a Goddard Award of Excellence for Quality and Process Improvement. The team received the award for their innovative approach in developing a usability testing solution as part of their website redesign. The team was charged with bringing the library website into conformity with the NASA Portal and used the opportunity to implement a number of design enhancements based on customer input received by way of an innovative in-house usability study. By performing the study in-house, the team saved Goddard between $10,000-$20,000!
Kirtland AFB Library
Team cited for outstanding performance
The entire Kirtland library staff was recognized at the VSI picnic in July for their excellent performance. The recognition came from VSIL Branch Chief Cynthia Lynch, who also presented library director Maryhelen Jones with an Air Force Research Libraries Certificate of Appreciation for "outstanding contributions to VSIL."
Langley AFB Library
Bookaneer pirates invade five-star library 
Question: What are a pirate’s favorite two letters
of the alphabet?
Answer: Aye & Arrrrr
Question: What is a pirate's favorite dessert?
Answer: Chips A-Hoy!
Question: Which Star Wars character was really
a pirate?
Answer: Arrrr-2-D-2 (R2-D2)
These are just a few of the pirate “factoids” that children learned during Bateman Library’s Pirate Summer. During the Captain Book and Bookaneers summer reading program, the five-star library enticed others in the 1SVS activities to play pirates with them. The joint activities included pirate programs at two youth centers, pirate boat races at the pool, water ship battles at the park, and a treasure hunt across all of the 1SVS activities, including the library, bowling alley, officer’s club, community center, and the golf course.
United Kingdom Election
Litherland leads European Division, Air Force Sergeants Association
Tim Litherland has been elected European Division President of the Air Force Sergeants Association. Litherland is IIa’s United Kingdom deputy project manager and works as a PSM specialist at RAF Lakenheath.
As the European Division President, Litherland is responsible for 4,000 AFSA members in 14 chapters stationed at bases across Europe. According to Litherland, AFSA is a fraternal organization started in 1961 by a small group of Air Force Non-Commissioned Officers who were concerned about AF enlisted families’ quality of life issues. AFSA has chapters at most every active duty, guard and reserve base around the world, with a total membership of about 120,000 people.