Alberta NetBeat : January 2002
ISSN 1481-7640

This is a sample of Alberta NetBeat, a free newsletter designed to provide news, information and opportunities for Alberta libraries and schools to take special advantage of the Internet. January sample issues of Alberta NetBeat are the only ones we post online as the newsletter is sent monthly via electronic mail to subscribers. To subscribe to Alberta NetBeat, please complete the subscription form.

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Alberta NetBeat
An Internet Newsletter for Alberta Schools and Libraries
Vol. 4, Issue 1 January 2002 ISSN 1481-7640
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Happy New Year to you and birthday to us! This issue is jam-packed with resources to kick start 2002 and celebrate the ongoing success of the Alberta NetBeat newsletter. As we start our fourth year of publication, we are excited to be part of the many changes in schools and libraries throughout the province. If you think back to where you were with technology three years ago, is it not amazing how far you've come? I never stop being amazed when I stop long enough to reflect! If you have a story to share about your progress - your Web site, your favorite links, or just interesting trivia - send us your thoughts, we would love to hear them. Also, if you have any suggestions for quality services or products of interest to Alberta schools and libraries that would be good advertisers for the newsletter, we would appreciate any connections you can help us make. Many thanks for your continued support and we'll continue to work at digging up useful goodies to help with your technology use.
Cynthia Beuselinck, Editor

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In this issue:
1. Quick Tech Tips: Convert my Web site to current HTML!
2. A sampler of Ready Reference Sites
3. Creating Library Partnerships
4. Preparing for Freedom to Read Week, February 24 - March 2, 2002
5. PD funding - apply early
6. Survey Zone: Happy Birthday Alberta NetBeat
7. Digital Video Tutorials
8. Conferences, conferences!
9. Your Beat - tell us what you think!

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1. Quick Tech Tips: Convert my Web site to current HTML!
Whether you have created your Web site using HTML or used an authoring tool, chances are you now need to update the code to ensure that it will continue to display properly as the Web evolves. To make it easier for us, the World Wide Web Consortium provides a great tool, free of charge, which will convert your pages to current standards, validate the code, and make recommendations
regarding accessibility. Save yourself a ton of repair work! Download a free copy of HTML Tidy and start upgrading your site the easy way:
   http://www.w3.org/People/Raggett/tidy/
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2. A sampler of Ready Reference Sites
"Quick - we need to find..." Every day we need a quick answer for something, whether it is the spelling of a word, a population figure, or a phone number. From our own collection, here are a few of the ready reference sites we keep handy that you can add to your own bookmarks!
Alberta White pages online: phone book and reverse directory
   http://www.mytelus.com/phonebook/index.vm

Alberta Rite line online: connect with government offices or individuals
    http://www.gov.ab.ca/home/Index.cfm?Page=5

Canadian Postal Code lookup: postal codes, addresses, addressing guides
   http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pcl/bin/default-e.asp

Merriam-Webster dictionary & thesaurus: find the spelling, pronunciation, or meaning
   http://www.merriamwebster.com/

Information Please Almanacs: facts and figures
   http://www.infoplease.com/alphabeticalindex.html

Technology Encyclopedia: more IT terminology that we ever wanted to know
   http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/

3. Creating Library Partnerships
No matter what size your library is or how remote it may be, you can take advantage of developing and improving strategic partnerships that can help support your library services. This short article by the manager of Liberty County Public Library in Florida is practically a checklist of partnering opportunities for libraries to consider. With a bit of imagination and some slight modifications, any library can make use of the suggestions given here.
   http://www.freenet.tlh.fl.us/Liberty_Library/network.html

4. Preparing for Freedom to Read Week, Feb 24 - Mar 2, 2002
Even in Alberta, there have been challenges to our Freedom to Read, and those in schools and libraries are often the targets. This year, celebrate by reviewing your policies on handling content challenges, reminding staff and colleagues who the contact people are in the event of a challenge, and review some of the books recently challenged so you are aware of the issues. You can order Freedom to Read kits from the Freedom to Read Web site, or use materials from the ownloadable kit to create projects of your own. Attend or support the events planned in your community, and if there are none planned yet, you still have time to create one! Don't forget to list your event with the Canadian Freedom to Read site so we can all celebrate together.
Edmonton events
   http://www.freedomtoread.ca/events/edmonton.htm (no longer active 11/03)
Calgary events
   http://www.freedomtoread.ca/events/calgary.htm (no longer active 11/03)
Freedom to Read Web site
   http://www.freedomtoread.ca/

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K-12 Web Pages: Planning & Publishing Excellent School Web Sites
When it comes to creating Web sites for your school, you simply can't find a better resource! Best practices, reproducible planning sheets, examples, and Canadian content - this book is a rofessional resource that should be in every K-12 school.
$44.95 USD from Amazon online:
   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1586830368/inettoolbo
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5. PD funding - apply early!
When it comes to Professional Development funding, there's never enough! A number of professional organizations can help though, and here are a few of them along with the application deadlines. Please read the funding criteria over carefully to ensure you are eligible before making your application.

AALT professional development bursary, deadline March 18
   http://www.aalt.org/about/bursary.html

ATA course bursaries for PD, deadline May 1
   http://www.teachers.ab.ca/services/awards/trust.html

LAA Grants & Awards for professional development, deadline May 31
   http://www.laa.ab.ca/grants&.htm

ATLC Chancellor's Group Conference Grant, deadline March 30
   http://www.atlc.ca/Membership/chancell.htm

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6. Survey Zone: Happy Birthday Alberta NetBeat
Congratulations to V. Deazeley from Lake Bonavista Elementary School in Calgary as last month's Survey Zone winner! This month, our survey asks for your thoughts and opinions on the Alberta NetBeat newsletter. We will randomly draw one survey for a gift certificate from Chapters, so put your two cents worth in today!
http://www.inet-toolbox.com/forms/survey.htm
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7. Digital Video Tutorials
Whether you use iMovie, Adobe Premiere, ULead, or another video editing software, certain steps will remain the same when you are creating videos with your students. his tutorial can help you get up and running with your video editing projects. Although the tutorial is provided by ULead software, the lessons are not software specific and the concepts apply no matter what product you are working with.
   http://www.ulead.com/learning/video.htm

8. Conferences, conferences!
There are plenty coming up, and we'd love to have you visit us so here's a list of where we'll be. Pick up a course catalogue, ask about the K-12 School Web Site Builder Program, buy a copy of the book "K-12 Web Pages: Planning & Publishing Excellent School Web Sites, book a PD day, or just stop by and say hello!

February 7 & 8, Central Alberta Teacher's Convention, Red Deer (exhibitor booth)
   http://www.teachersconvention.ab.ca/

February 14 & 15, Calgary City Teacher's Convention, Calgary (exhibitor booth)
    http://www.cctca.com/

February 14 & 15, CBE Staff Association Convention, Calgary (presentation)

March 14 - 16, Odyssey Conference, Kananaskis (exhibitor booth, presentation)
   http://www.atacc.ab.ca/2001/index.html

May 2 - 4, AALT Conference, Edmonton (exhibitor booth, presentation)
   http://www.aalt.org/events/aconference2002.htm

9. Your Beat - tell us what YOU think!
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Alberta NetBeat. If you have suggestions or questions, we want to hear from you. Although we can't promise a personal response to every message, we guarantee that our newsletter team considers every one. Email us!
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Alberta NetBeat is a free newsletter created to help libraries and schools in Alberta take special advantage of the Internet! Each month Alberta NetBeat will provide you with news, information, and opportunities to help you manage and explore the Net. Topics range from web building strategies, search engines and Internet issues, to contests and projects - anything to help you be a better Internet user and educator.

If you have received this newsletter as a gift, you can subscribe by completing the online subscription form at http://www.inet-toolbox.com/toolbox/netbeat.html on our web site. Alberta NetBeat goes out in the middle of each month and is only available via email. We do not sell or share email addresses from our database.
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Alberta NetBeat (c)2002
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