Index
- There is still time to give input on proposed SCLS governance model
- System Celebration registration deadline is Sept. 3
- Member/Staff News
- New Journal added to SCLS Professional Collection
- Libraries invited to explore Wisconsin Heritage Online during Sept. 9 program
- LSTA grant application now online; deadline is Sept. 11
- Special purchase price on Rock Band through end of August
- What does your library contribute to the bottom line?
- ‘Working Together: Understanding Hmong Culture’ workshop is Oct. 16
- One million ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ readers to break world record
- Continuing Education Calendar
There is still time to give input on proposed SCLS governance model
Since the last issue of Online Update was posted, we conducted our first listening session on the proposed SCLS Governance model and received valuable feedback. We will be using the feedback to create a document of Frequently Asked Questions, especially around the concept of "clustering" -- or how libraries will be grouped for representative governance.
There is still plenty of time to give feedback, and more information and links to documents are available in the blog posting. There will also be another GoToWebinar listening session from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8
We are hoping to have representatives from all 52 SCLS public libraries at the Sept. 18 meeting, which will be held at Olbrich Gardens in Madison. Register today!
--from Stef Morrill, Associate Director
System Celebration registration deadline is Sept. 3
Please remember that the registration deadline for System Celebration 2009 is Sept. 3. All library staff members, trustees, elected officials and other library supporters are invited to attend.
This year’s event will be held Thursday, Sept. 24, at Lake Windsor Golf Club, located near the intersection of I-90/94 and Highway 19, just northwest of Madison. You can register by returning one of the printed invitations, or by using the online registration form at www.scls.info/about/systemceleb/.
There will be a social hour from 6-7 p.m., featuring entertainment provided by the Sun Prairie Area High School Jazz Ensemble. Dinner is schedule from 7-8 p.m., and the annual awards program will be from 8-8:30 p.m.
There is no charge for local elected officials, head librarians (or designee) of member libraries of all types, and current trustees of SCLS area library boards. You do have the option to pay for your meal if you believe there is an ethical conflict with SCLS paying for your meal. The meal cost for spouses/guests and other attendees is $20, and must be sent by Sept. 3 to South Central Library System, 5250 E. Terrace Drive, Suite A-2, Madison, WI 53718-8345.
This year's menu includes a choice of Chicken Marsala, Top Sirloin, or Pasta Primavera (vegetarian). If using the online registration option, all questions must be answered before you can submit the form. If you are using the paper registration, remember to indicate your meal preference.
Please remember that if SCLS is paying for your meal, and you register but do not attend, we must still pay for your meal. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your reservation before Sept. 10 (there can be no meal refunds after this date). If you must cancel after Sept. 10, please arrange for someone else to attend in your place.
Every once in a while you’re given a powerful reminder that the organization for which you work is pretty remarkable. As a system -- which includes member libraries -- we do a pretty amazing job of meeting the dynamic needs of library users. On Monday, we heard a story we’d like to share. At about 8 a.m. Deb Haeffner sent a print job to the Madison Public Library print shop for 2,400 copies of 11x17 paper, folded. That job was printed, folded, and delivered to the Monona Public Library by 1 p.m. We don’t guarantee that sort of project turn-around, but it’s nice to know it happens!
The Monroe Street Branch of Madison Public Library will close to the public at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug, 22, for remodeling. The branch is anticipated to reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m. Included in the remodel is a reconfigured and relocated service desk, a new ceiling, updated lighting, fresh carpet and paint, and furniture upgrades including comfortable reading chairs and new computer tables. Updates about the project and photos can be viewed at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/about/monroe.html.
Nekoosa’s Charles & JoAnn Lester Library recently completed an update of its interior space, including new entry-way flooring that captures more exterior dirt, the installation of vinyl tile around the circulation desk, and new carpeting in other parts of the library They also removed a “study aisle” and created a new “commons area” in the central part of the library that also includes the magazines, and all of the library’s aisles were widened to at least 42 inches to comply with ADA standards. The library also has created a Christian Fiction section, updated its genealogy section, and moved the children's play area to the back of the library, creating a safer and more controlled environment for small children. Library patron comments have included: "WOW!"; "The library looks so much bigger!"; "This is a much nicer library than I would expect in a small town."’; and “Now I'll never want to leave." Take a look a the end result.
New Journal added to SCLS Professional Collection
Jean Anderson recently added the U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian to the SCLS Professional Collection. To add your library to the routing list, please complete the online form (password required).
If you have any suggestions for professional journals or books we should have in the collection, please contact Jean Anderson.
Libraries invited to explore Wisconsin Heritage Online during Sept. 9 program
SCLS will host a general information session on Wisconsin Heritage Online (WHO) on Sept. 9 from 2-4 p.m., presented by WHO outreach specialist Emily Pfotenhauer. The program, which will be held at the SCLS Administrative office in Madison, will include a one-hour presentation about Wisconsin Heritage Online, including a discussion about the advantages of having your digital project hosted by Wisconsin Heritage Online.
Following the presentation, Emily will be available to meet with those who are intrigued by the digital process and feel they are ready to begin planning. You can register for this program at www.wils.wisc.edu/who.html.
WHO (www.wisconsinheritage.org) is a centralized online resource that provides access to research treasures from diverse cultural institutions throughout the state. Users can browse and search the website to discover Wisconsin's rich heritage through photographs, artifacts, diaries, books, audio files, and much more. As WHO continues to grow and expand, a primary goal is to help libraries, local historical societies and museums join the digital movement by building sustainable online collections.
WHO members receive training for all steps of the digitization process, from content selection to reformatting procedures to digital preservation. SCLS member libraries are already considered Wisconsin Heritage Online members through the membership of SCLS.
Thanks to a recent grant from the Nicholas Family Foundation, many of WHO's services are currently provided free of charge. However, a pre-evaluation and a small annual membership fee are required. To learn more, please attend the Sept. 9 session, or contact Debbie Cardinal or Emily Pfotenhauer.
LSTA grant application now online; deadline is Sept. 11
The Department of Public Instruction’s LSTA website now contains a link to the 2010 LSTA grant application form. The form is web-based and requires attention to instructions, particularly if you want to print a copy for your records, or if completion of the grant application requires multiple sessions. All 2010 LSTA grant applications and signatures are due by Sept. 11, 2009.
If you have applied for LSTA grants in the past, you must delete the Favorite or Bookmark to the previous website -- http://www3.dpi.wi.gov/FormFinder/. DPI can no longer accept forms submitted through the FormFinder website.
For more information, contact Terrie Howe at (608) 266-2413)
Special purchase price on Rock Band through end of August
Libraries interested in purchasing a copy of Rock Band for Xbox 360 or PS3 should take note -- a special price of $79 is available through the end of August, or while supplies last.
Through the end of the month, MTV Games is bundling Rock Band for Xbox 360 and PS3 (with mic, guitar and drum kit), Rock Band 2 software, and the AC/DC Track Pack, all for $79 (regularly $185). As an added bonus, shipping is free.
To learn more, or to order, visit rockband79.com.
What does your library contribute to the bottom line?
A recent post by library marketing blogger Kathy Dempsey asks that question, and directs readers to information from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine’s (NNLM) Cost Benefit and ROI Calculator. This particular calculator measures the library's value to each medical employee who uses it.
NNLM asks, “How much benefit does your institution, your user, receive for every dollar spent by the library? What's the annual return your institution realizes on what you spend on your collection?” Cost/Benefit Analysis and Return on Investment are measures often used by financial managers to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of their budget policies.
“If you haven't looked into value/ROI calculators yet, you need to. Using them is one of the best ways to prove your value to the people who control your money,” Dempsey wrote on her blog. “Don't wait till they're trying to cut your budget!! Start using value calculators now! They don't take perfect measurements, but they can be quite eye-opening to those who wonder why libraries should continue to eat up precious funding: Libraries historically have greater ROIs than many other organizations.”
This NNLM site also has links to:
- a Retail Value Calculator to demonstrate the benefit of all library services and resources; and
- a Database ROI Calculator that shows the value of your book and journal collections
Dempsey’s M Word Blog is designed to bring the world of marketing to librarians by sharing the tips, tricks and trends of the trade.
‘Working Together: Understanding Hmong Culture’ workshop is Oct. 16
SCLS member libraries are encouraged to attend the Oct. 16, 2009, workshop “Working Together: Understanding Hmong Culture. Scheduled in Rothschild, WI, it is being organized by UW Cooperative Extension staff and Hmong partners. The program is designed to help increase understanding of the Hmong culture, especially among educators or professionals that work with Hmong families.
More information and a link to registration are provided on the Hmong Task Force website at www.uwex.edu/ces/hmong/. Workshop attendance is free, but space is limited so anyone interested is encouraged to register early.
One million ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ readers to break world record
On Oct. 8, more than 1 million children and adults are expected to team up with a single “Hungry Caterpillar” to help break a world record and draw attention to the early education crisis affecting millions of at-risk young children in the U.S. and around the globe.
The nonprofit organization Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation announced Jumpstart’s fourth annual Read for the Record campaign at the International Reading Association convention in Minneapolis. On that single day in October, in thousands of settings around the world, readers of all ages will be joining together to break the record for the world’s largest shared reading experience.
This year’s official campaign book is a special, limited edition of the Philomel Books classic “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” by Eric Carle. The commemorative book includes a foreword with messages from Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira of NBC’s TODAY show, award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker, and Grammy Award-winning recording artist and actor LL Cool J. The special limited edition can be purchased online at www.readfortherecord.org/book/, where people can also donate books to children in need.
The Pearson Foundation will donate more than 200,000 copies of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to children in need, and invites businesses and other institutions to sponsor additional book donations to children in low-income communities in the U.S. and abroad. More information can be found at www.pearsonfoundation.org/rftr09. Schools, libraries, civic groups, and organizations interested in securing their own commemorative copies can also visit this site to learn more.
“The books we read as children provide us with treasured childhood memories,” said Jumpstart’s president, James Cleveland. “Unfortunately, most children in low-income communities have few, if any, age-appropriate books in their homes. As a result, they miss out on the reading experiences that form the foundation for success in school and life. In fact, each year one third of America’s children arrive at their first day of school without the skills necessary to succeed. At Jumpstart, we’re remedying this problem by giving these young people important one-to-one attention, one child at a time.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the Pearson Foundation is underwriting the cost of the Campaign’s official book, ensuring that 100% of the proceeds from sales of this edition directly benefit Jumpstart’s work with at-risk children. From now through the fall, the Pearson Foundation and Jumpstart will be working with teachers, district superintendents, government officials, libraries, businesses, parent groups, and educational organizations to organize reading events on October 8 and to donate copies of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to Head Start and other early learning centers, elementary schools, and other places that serve low-income children.