- Library advocacy needed every day
- It’s not too late to register for System Celebration
- Member/Staff News
- Never doubt that librarians touch lives
- Budget support documentation from LD&L Committee
- Adult summer reading program survey underway
- CPSC issues rule regarding lead standards; more guidance to come for libraries
- BadgerLink's EBSCO Animals no longer a stand-alone database
- SCLS pays portion of WLA memberships for library directors
- Database statistics available online
- African American Biographical Database no longer available
- ‘Library Advocacy in Action’ is theme of Sept. 28 program
- Banned Books Week events scheduled
- Continuing Education Calendar
Library advocacy needed every day
You’ve seen the statistics! Most people believe public libraries are vital community institutions, and even among non-users there is a belief in the importance of libraries. That existing awareness and support of libraries is the hard part of advocacy, so here in Wisconsin we have a leg up.That in no way means we can sit back and wait for good things to happen, which is why libraries should continuously distribute the “Speak Up For Your Library” cards available through the South Central Library System. Wisconsin’s continuing state budget woes, projected county and municipal budget difficulties, and ongoing economic downturn make it all the more important that libraries cultivate a base of supporters who are willing to “speak up.”
The beauty of this advocacy effort is that SCLS does most of the work. All libraries need to do is display the cards and posters in prominent locations around the library, collect the completed cards, and return them to Mark Ibach through SCLS Delivery. That’s it.
About 1,700 people have already signed up, but with more than 800,000 residents living within the counties that comprise the South Central Library System, more outreach work needs to be done. In fact, the majority of those 1,700 are from Dane County, which means we have a lot of people contacting a small number of elected officials. We need to have more residents in other counties sign up, and it starts with the libraries.
The cards and posters are free, and now is the perfect time to start. We even have bookmarks that encourage people to sign up, and they feature the online registration form URL -- www.scls.info/pr/speak_up/. We encourage all libraries to display the “Speak Up For Your Library” logo on your website, and personally encourage people to sign up for the list. The benefit to the individual libraries participating is that SCLS can extract the names and email addresses of your residents, which allows you to reach out to them if a local need arises. But we can’t do that if you don’t encourage people to sign up.
To support libraries in what should be ongoing advocacy efforts, SCLS has created an Online Advocacy Toolkit available at www.scls.info/pr/advocacy/. The site defines advocacy as it relates to libraries and makes a case for why libraries should develop an advocacy plan. There also is information for developing that plan, and links to many other resources that libraries will find helpful.
The Advocacy Toolkit has sections titled “Advocacy Defined,” Developing An Advocacy Plan,” and “Making Your Case.” In the future there will be information under the category “Collecting Library Stories.” There are also links to the “Speak Up for Your Library” Campaign, WLA and ALA resources, as well as other miscellaneous resources from OCLC, WebJunction, and others.
These resources provide background information that will help you begin an advocacy program at your library. If you have questions, or would like further assistance, contact Mark Ibach, SCLS Marketing and PR Coordinator.
It’s not too late to register for System Celebration
Sept. 3 was the preliminary registration deadline for System Celebration 2009, so if you haven’t registered for this year’s event you can still do so by completing the online registration form at www.scls.info/about/systemceleb/. All library staff members, trustees and elected officials 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. 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. 10 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). When using the online registration option, all questions must be answered before you can submit the form.
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.
Member/Staff News
The August 2009 Circulation Statistics reports have been posted online. Reports from previous months can be viewed in a directory list, or in an easy-to-read grid.
You can view the LINK Update blog at http://scls.typepad.com/link/. Recent Topics Include: Converting canned Dynix reports – documentation. If you don't remember the username and password to access this page, it can be found at http://automation.scls.lib.wi.us/announce.html. The Lodi Public Library’s 20th Annual Run Walk was held on Aug. 8, despite a dismal forecast. The event’s 8 a.m. start was delayed by about 10 minutes due to lightning, but a strong showing of runners were undeterred by the pouring rain. (Walkers, on the other hand, were not so hardy.) In all, the event raised more than $3,000 for the library this year. The top pledge-earner this year was 11-year-old Mike Raemisch, who won a 21-speed Giant mountain bike for raising $312. During the awards ceremony, the library board honored organizer Tom Long on the historic 20th anniversary of the event. He received a personal gift, and four titles on running and walking were added to the Lodi Public Library collection in his honor. Tom Long also was honored by the Lodi Rotary Club, which made him the grand marshal of the Rotary Summer Parade, held the same day as the Run Walk. The library’s parade float (a giant “Pout-Pout Fish” from Deborah Diesen’s picture book of the same name) sported a sign that read, “Don’t be a pout pout…duck into the library to see what it’s all about ‘bout.” Behind the float was a banner recognizing Long’s volunteerism.
The September issue of WSLL @ Your Service has been published at http://wilawlibrary.gov/newsletter/0909.html. In this issue: What's New: Staff news; Upcoming classes; September is library card signup month; A Summertime Reunion Doubleplay (by Jane Colwin, State Law Librarian); This Just In...: New and updated library materials; Tech Tip in Brief -- What's in a Browser? and A Trick for your Mouse Wheel; and Odds 'n' Endings -- Back to School and Back in Session.
Never doubt that librarians touch lives
If you’ve ever questioned whether you are having an impact in the lives of the residents you serve, just check out the letter to the editor in the Baraboo News Republic. Congratulations Anne!
Budget support documentation from LD&L Committee
It’s important to make connections with legislators and local elected officials throughout the year, but as municipal and county budget time approaches it’s more critical than ever to tell the library’s story.
To help libraries do that, the WLA’s Library Development and Legislation (LD&L) Committee has compiled a resource for libraries to use. Feel free to use it as a guide to tell your story, as a rough draft to guide your work, or send it directly to your legislators and local elected officials.
Adult summer reading program survey underway
Public libraries that offered an adult summer reading program during 2009 are being asked to respond to a quick survey to help guide the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Board as it begins making decisions about future support items for adult summer reading programs.
Libraries should complete the online survey by Sept. 25.
CPSC issues rule regarding lead standards; more guidance to come for libraries
On Aug. 26, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s (CPSIA) final rule on children’s products containing lead was released. In the rule, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) confirmed that libraries have no independent obligation to test library books for lead under the law.
CPSC also announced its intention to release a Statement of Policy specifically providing guidance for libraries with regard to the treatment of older children’s books that could potentially contain lead. That Statement of Policy should be released within the next several weeks.
BadgerLink's EBSCO Animals no longer a stand-alone database
EBSCO Publishing has significantly improved the EBSCO Animals collection, now called Encyclopedia of Animals.
EBSCO Animals was formerly a stand-alone database, but it is now part of these product families: Science Reference Center, Middle Search and Primary Search, and is accessible via the EBSCOhost, Searchasaurus, or Kids Search interfaces.
Articles within the Encyclopedia of Animals can now be found more easily through improved citations with added subject headings and an abstract. In addition, each article includes a Lexile value, and new images and maps have been included into the “Related Item” section of the full text.
Searchability and Content Improvements include:
- Source Type Searching on Searchasaurus and Kids Search -- The search for the keyword 'tiger' will return a Result List that allows filtering by Source Types. The Encyclopedia of Animals articles can be accessed via the Source Type “Animals.”
- Citation Improvements -- The Encyclopedia of Animals contains added subject terms and an abstract making the content easier to find in the student’s keyword search. Each article also now has Lexiles.
- Full Text -- Articles contain a “Related Item” feature with additional images and maps available through the interface Kids Search.
For questions or concerns, contact BadgerLink Technical Support.
SCLS pays portion of WLA memberships for library directors
As the 2009 WLA Conference approaches, you may have received your WLA Membership Renewal reminder. As you know, SCLS will pay up to $100 toward WLA membership for directors of SCLS member libraries or branches, or their designees.
WLA is now offering many membership services online, including conference registration and new or renewed memberships. Last year, WLA sent out information to all members about the new membership system and included your username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click on the "Forgot your password?" link and the information will be emailed to you. If you want to renew your membership (or join WLA) online, follow these steps:
- Log in with your username and password
- Click on the Join WLA or Renew Now tab
- Enter the amount for your dues
- Select the divisions and units you would like to join
- Click Continue
- Enter your payment information
- Click on Send Check if you're sending a check for the amount of your dues that's over $100
- Click on Call-in Payment if you'd like to use your credit card to pay the amount of your dues that's over $100
- At this time, Credit Card only accepts complete payments
- Click on Submit to complete the transaction
- Print a receipt by clicking on My Profile and then My Form Receipts
- Click on the icon in front of the receipt and print
- Send a copy of the receipt to Jean Anderson at SCLS
- Include check to WLA for the difference (or call WLA directly to make a credit card payment)
If any of your contact information has changed, please update it by clicking on My Profile and making the necessary changes.
You may also choose to use the print form. If you renew using the print form, fill in all the necessary information -- including the amount of your dues -- and send it to Jean Anderson (5250 E. Terrace Dr., Suite A-2, Madison, WI 53718-8345) with any additional payments. She will take care of the rest.
Database statistics available online
Database statistics for January through June 2009 are available on the SCLS Reference Databases page (lower left area).
System totals are listed in the "Usage Statistics for Reference Databases" section. These are stats we receive from each vendor. A breakdown in OverDrive stats by library is also located in this section (underneath the table of OverDrive stats).
Library totals for January-June 2009 are in the "Usage Statistics by Library" section. These are stats we collect from our authentication script, and there is also an explanation of the statistics posted.
If you have questions about these statistics, contact Kerri Hilbelink, Library Technology Project Support Specialist.
African American Biographical Database no longer available
SCLS libraries no longer have access to African American Biographical Database. It was previously available through BadgerLink as part of the ProQuest package, and it was dropped in July when BadgerLink did not renew its contract with ProQuest.
We apologize for the omission in previous announcements regarding changes to databases available through BadgerLink.
Library Advocacy in Action is theme of Sept. 28 program
Marquette University Libraries, Milwaukee Public Library and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Library present “Library Advocacy in Action,” featuring keynote speaker Dr. Camila Alire, president of the American Library Association.
The program will be held Sept. 28, 2009, from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union Ballroom, 1442 West Wisconsin Avenue, on the Marquette University campus. Additional speakers include; Anthony Driessen, DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.; Kara Malenfant, scholarly communications and government relations specialist, ACRL; Marci Merola, director, ALA Office for Library Advocacy; and Patty Wong, director, Yolo County (CA) Library.
Registration for the day-long program is $15, which includes lunch. You can register online, and the deadline is Sept. 21. For more information or special needs requests, call (414) 288-7431. Visitor parking information is available on the Marquette University website.
Banned Books Week events scheduled
Banned Books Week 2009 will be observed Sept. 26 through Oct. 3, and several Madison events may be of particular interest to librarians throughout the South Central Library System.
On Sept. 15, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin fill host an ACLU Foundation Fundraiser. Special guests will be Michael Tyree, West Bend Library Director, and Maria Hanrahan, West Bend area community organizer. They will share their story about the recent book challenge controversy in that community. This program will be held at the Goodman Community Center, Bolz Room A, 149 Waubesa St., Madison, from 7-8:30 p.m. There will be a silent auction, wine and snacks.
Then on Oct. 1, Wisconsin Public Radio will sponsor a panel discussion on current issues in censorship. Hosted by Jim Flemming, panelists will include Bob Bocher, from the Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning (DLTCL) at the Department of Public Instruction, and two librarians from community libraries or public schools (to be confirmed later). The program will take place at the School of Library and Information Studies Commons Room, 4th floor, Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park St., Madison, from 6-7:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.