- SCLS is ‘dream job’ for new director Martha Van Pelt
- Library photos needed for System Celebration
- Don’t forget to request ‘Speak Up for Your Library’ materials
- Member/Staff News
- New titles added to SCLS Professional Collection
- BadgerCat no longer available
- EBSCOhost planning site interface changes; Novelist, ARRC to be affected
- How to get citizens on the bandwagon for your library
- LA Times column makes eloquent case for libraries as essential services
- Zombies need libraries too
- Libraries may want to follow ‘The Extraordinaries’ to find professional ‘micro-volunteers’
- Continuing Education Calendar
SCLS is ‘dream job’ for new director Martha Van Pelt
After 13 years as the Director of the Walla Walla Public Library in Washington State, and 27 total years of library management experience, Martha Van Pelt is the new director of the South Central Library System. She will begin her new duties on Sept. 1.
“It is a dream job to partner with and support the libraries and librarians of the South Central Library System,” Van Pelt said. “I have been a professional librarian for nearly 30 years, and have worked in libraries since I was in sixth grade. It is the only job I have ever wanted. My role at SCLS will be in a new capacity, that of providing service to librarians directly and their customers indirectly. I will be partnering with smart, hard working friends, also known as librarians.”
An avid sailor who had to give up her sailboat when she moved from Ohio to the desert of Eastern Washington, Van Pelt said visiting local sailing clubs will one of her first orders of personal business upon arrival in Madison.
As Director in Walla Walla, Van Pelt worked to retire the library’s debt, and she led second- and third-generation migrations to automation systems featuring new technology and software (most recently Koha) without incurring new debt. She was an active leader in WALNET, an automation consortium in the Walla Walla area, and she is a proven fundraiser and strong advocate for libraries, helping raise $1.2 million dollars to construct a new children’s wing.
Van Pelt’s responsibilities also involved working with the city’s Directors of Development Services, Public Works, and Finance, along with local civic organizations and outside consultants, to revise the City’s Urban Comprehensive Plan.
As library director, and a member of the city’s marketing committee, she was a regular talk radio guest, generated television spots, and was a regular contributor of guest editorials to the local newspaper. In an effort to help put the library “front and center” in the community, Van Pelt organized and performed in public events such as crewing in a hot air balloon, entertaining and working with award-winning authors, and riding a motorcycle as Library Lil.
“Libraries are my mission,” Van Pelt said. “I protect them and use them to educate. As Thomas Jefferson said, ‘A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry.’ I contribute to society by supplying the citizenry with tools to educate themselves. My goal at SCLS is to provide the support librarians need to do the best job possible for their users.”
Prior to her time in Walla Walla (1984-1997), Van Pelt worked for the Clermont County Public Library in Batavia, Ohio, first as the Coordinator of Technical Services (six years) where she was responsible for the on-site supervision of the building and renovation of 12 library facilities. She also supervised the Departments of Information Technology and Technical Services to automate the new locations, acquire and process materials, prepare manuals, and train staff. She was also a member of the Southwest Ohio and Neighboring Libraries Cooperative (SWON), which included public, academic, school, and special libraries located in Ohio and Kentucky. From 1991-97 she was the library’s operations manager, responsible for the physical plant, purchasing, technology, risk management, all support, and public services.
“Libraries and librarians have always been about supporting people and their communities,” Van Pelt said. “This is the same role I will play as the director of SCLS.” Van Pelt said she’s long admired the collaborative spirit of the Wisconsin library and education systems, and she’s excited to become a contributing partner through her position as SCLS director.
“I have worked in many different types of libraries; academic, special, school, rural, and urban public branches with different funding models.” Van Pelt said. “The skill sets I have acquired working in these varied positions will serve me well in this new position.”
Library photos needed for System Celebration
System Celebration 2010, which will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21, is the 30th anniversary of this annual event. To celebrate the important work libraries do everyday, we’re again asking for photos from member libraries. These will be compiled into video presentation to be played that evening.
This year, however, we’re adding a new twist. We thought it would be fun to collect some historical photos from each library, especially from the past 30 years. Ten to 15 photos from each library would be fantastic.
Digital photos are preferred, but we can scan prints for you if you'd like. We’ll return them as soon as we’re finished. If you send digital photos, you can either email them to Mark Ibach or send them through Delivery (on CD-ROM or DVD).
If you have questions, contact Mark Ibach. Photos should be submitted no later than Aug. 31.
Don’t forget to request ‘Speak Up for Your Library’ materials
With state elections this fall (Sept. 14 primary and Nov. 2 general election), the need to be more proactive in library advocacy should be a priority. To this end, “Speak Up for Your Library” materials are available at no cost to SCLS member libraries, and we encourage every library to make the sign-up cards available to library users. By involving your library users and supporters you also strengthen the position of your library within the community.
Expanding this list of residents willing to speak in support of libraries is critical, and may be more important than ever if local and state budget pictures don’t improve markedly. Of the list’s nearly 1,800 members, a majority live in Dane County. To be most effective in our outreach efforts, we need to ensure that library supporters in all communities have an opportunity to speak up. That can only happen when all libraries make the cards available.
We have plenty of the cards on hand, and we can get them to you through Delivery in a day or two. Just contact Mark Ibach to place your request. We also encourage libraries to link from their website to the online sign-up form at www.scls.info/pr/speak_up.
As an added advocacy effort, we’d like to encourage libraries to promote the SCLS “Library Use Value Calculator.” This is an excellent opportunity for library users to attach a financial impact to their personal use of the library.
Finally, libraries are also encouraged to promote the “Libraries for Real Life” website. The personal stories of those whose lives have been positively impacted by libraries are excellent advocacy tools, and this site is an easy way to collect and share the stories. Promotional materials are available free of charge to SCLS member libraries.
Member/Staff News
It’s Monday, so this lime green whale-sized Dane County Library Service bookmobile -- “Booker” -- is headed to its weekly docking in the village of Blue Mounds, population 757. Read more in the Wisconsin State Journal.
For an update on the construction of the new Fitchburg Public Library, read the Fitchburg Star.
Kilbourn Public Library’s bookmobile now offers wireless Internet, make and take activities, and the opportunity to participate in the summer reading programs to its patrons in the Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton area. With the help of a donation from the Lake Delton Lions Club, the Kilbourn Public Library Bookmobile is now a Wi-Fi hotspot. Read more in the June 25 Wisconsin Dells Events article.
The June 2010 LINK Library Statistics Summary is posted on Automation's website. Both PDF and Excel versions of this report are posted.
Nicole Ozanich is the new Youth Services Librarian (full-time) at Portage County Public Library, effective July 6. She comes from Farmington Hills Public Library, which is a Detroit suburb.
New titles added to SCLS Professional Collection
The following titles have been added to the SCLS Professional Collection, which is available to staff at member libraries.
- The Tech Set Series:
- Next-Gen Library Catalogs by Marshall Breeding
- Mobile Technology and Libraries by Jason Griffey
- Microblogging and Lifestreaming in Libraries by Robin M. Hastings
- Library Videos and Webcasts by Thomas Sean Casserley Robinson
- Wikis for Libraries by Lauren Pressley
- Technology Training for Libraries by Sarah Houghton-Jan
- A Social Networking Primer for Librarians by Cliff Landis
- Library Camps and Unconferences by Steve Lawson
- Gaming in Libraries by Kelly Nicole Czarnecki
- Effective Blogging for Libraries by Connie Crosby
- Managing Change and People in Libraries by Tinker Massey
- Building Library 3.0: Issues in Creating a Culture of Participation by Woody Evans
- Intellectual Freedom Manual, 8th edition, by The Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA
- Multicultural Programs for Tweens and Teens edited by Linda Alexander and Nahyun Kwon
- The Complete Library Trustee Handbook by Sally Gardner Reed and Jillian Kalonick
- Designing Space for Children and Teens in Libraries and Public Spaces by Sandra Feinberg and James R. Keller
BadgerCat no longer available
BadgerCat, Wisconsin's view of WorldCat that has been available through WiLS to Wisconsin libraries by subscription, has not be renewed for FY11. The WiLS BadgerCat subscription expired on June 30, 2010.
Links to BadgerCat have been removed from the SCLS web pages.
EBSCOhost planning site interface changes; Novelist, ARRC to be affected
We’ve already told you about changes that are coming to Novelist (http://scls.typepad.com/online_update/2010/05/uo0810.html#novelist) later this summer, but EBSCOhost recently announced upcoming general user interface changes, as well as improvements and enhancements to Auto Repair Reference Center (ARRC).
To refresh yourself about the upcoming changes to Novelist, and to find links to more information, be sure to check out the link above. One of the key resources is a “Frequently Asked Questions” document.
As for ARRC, you can view examples of the new, intuitive screens coming with the updated interface. Some of the most significant planned upgrades are listed below.
- All repairs classified by OEMs, such as Ford, Honda, etc., on a given vehicle will be categorized and made available in the new ARRC user interface
- Thousands of repairs (as opposed to hundreds in print repair manuals) for each vehicle will provide the most comprehensive repair coverage available to the Do-it-Yourselfer
- Coverage will be provided for many more vehicles than Chilton, with historic repair information dating back to the 1940s
- Content indices will make finding repair information much easier, and will include wiring diagrams, specifications, maintenance intervals, TSBs, recalls and labor guide estimates
- A streamlined content update system will ensure currency superior to the manual methods used by other sources
- Researchers using the new interface will have more complete access to what they need, by being able to find content from PDFs, including graphics in the repair procedures
This release is expected for late summer/early fall, and will require no changes on your part. The new user interface will simply replace the existing ARRC as soon as it is ready.
Also planned is a more general upgrade to the EBSCOhost product interface. Below is a summary of the most significant changes you will see later this summer. None of these enhancements requires that you make adjustments to accommodate them.
- Limiters and the date slider will move from the right to the left column beside the Result List, which is a more intuitive position for these popular features, consolidating all the ways users can refine and work with their results in one area. (view the updated Result List)
- Detailed record pages will be more streamlined, and links to full text, your link resolvers, ILL, etc. will be more prominently displayed on the right.
- Users will be able to select multiple clusters and source types when managing results.
- There will be an enhanced PDF Viewer, Content Viewer, HTML Full Text, etc.
- A "breadbox" will show users which limiters, expanders and source types have already been selected.
- Simpler overall interface elements will increase the intuitiveness of the user experience.
If you require further technical assistance, please visit EBSCO's Support Site or contact BadgerLink Technical Support.
How to get citizens on the bandwagon for your library
In a recent call to action for libraries in the Huffington Post, Carol Fitzgerald of Bookreporter.com gave advice on what to do to fight the proposals by many local governments to cut library services -- or in the case of her hometown, Cedar Grove, N.J., to cut the library system entirely.
"Write your Senators impassioned letters on what libraries have meant and mean to you today. Talk about how important all libraries -- school, public and college -- are to this country and how awful it will be when they start closing or experience devastating reductions in services. The more personal the note, the more effective... Also, consider writing an Op-Ed piece or other article for your local paper."
Don't forget to check in at Save Libraries for the latest news on how libraries around the country are faring and what can be done to help. Another site in the same vein (although the name is a little less encouraging) is Losing Libraries, in cooperation with Library Journal.
LA Times column makes eloquent case for libraries as essential services
You know that libraries are essential services in your community, but convincing decision-makers when budgets are tight is another matter.
But a Los Angeles Times guest column by Marilyn Johnson, author of "This Book Is Overdue!" makes the case very eloquently, and in a timely manner. It's worth the read.
Zombies need libraries too
Libraries have found many interesting ways to deal with the negative consequences of budget cuts, and the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) has turned to Zombies. Watch the library’s video “Zombies Natural Habitat” on YouTube.
Libraries may want to follow ‘The Extraordinaries’ to find professional ‘micro-volunteers’
Finding volunteers with the specific skills or abilities your library needs can sometimes be a challenge, but a new organization called “The Extraordinaries” aims to enable “micro-volunteering,” whereby philanthropists with a few minutes of free time can use it to make a difference.
While you can’t currently sign up to use this service (it’s in private limited beta testing), San Francisco-based The Extraordinaries is worth watching to see if it’s a business model that works. You can sign up to get more information as it becomes available.
The online platform seeks to make it easy for altruistic consumers to support an organization or cause they care about -- like libraries. Toward that end, it enlists both individuals and groups of company employees to contribute their expertise to a nonprofit in even the smallest chunks of time. Nonprofits begin by posting requests to the site; those, in turn, are routed to would-be volunteers based on their skills and interests. Examples might include translating a page of a document into Spanish, for instance, or helping to choose a new logo. The Extraordinaries even has pre-built "kits" that turn a series of best practices into tasks for volunteers. Willing volunteers then complete the requests during a spare moment via Phone (through a dedicated app) or web browser -- or they can share it with their colleagues. Either way, corporate team volunteers can track each others' efforts via a Team Activity feed. Current nonprofit users of The Extraordinaries include KaBOOM! and Big Cat Rescue.
The Extraordinaries is in the process of becoming a B Corp. (http://www.bcorporation.net/); its business model will eventually include charging organizations a fee for each task completed, according to a report on NPR.