Index
- State budget provisions will shape library budget discussions
- Begin collecting statistics for annual report
- Member/Staff News
- Concealed carry will become law on Nov. 1
- Dane County seeks library assistants
- Database use by your library's patrons
- Rock Springs seeks new director
- Berninger is new RL&LL director
- It’s never too late to get a library card
- BadgerStat provides Wisconsin performance data
- Colombia's Biblioburro is topic of new PBS documentary
- Continuing Education Calendar
State budget provisions will shape library budget discussions
As libraries continue work on their 2012 budgets, it’s important to keep in mind several provisions in the state biennial budget that will impact local funding.
The first of these is the elimination of library maintenance of effort (MOE), effective Jan. 1, 2012. While this doesn’t necessarily have a direct or immediate impact on library funding, elimination of MOE opens the door for larger budget reductions than were allowed in the past. Municipalities no longer need to appropriate for the library at least the average of the previous three years in order for the library to retain its system membership. Couple this with significant reductions in state shared revenues to municipalities and counties, also effective Jan. 1, and libraries could be looking at a challenging budget process.
On top of these issues is the ongoing state-imposed levy limit, which constrains how much municipalities and counties can raise property taxes to pay for programs and services. Under the biennial budget, the levy limit is now 0%. The one important exception is that payments to libraries from counties under Wis. Stat. 43.12 are exempt from the levy limit (Wis. Stat. 66.0602(3)(e)4).
Also implemented in the state budget were the changes to collective bargaining for public employees. This obviously only affects your library if your employees are members of a public employee union, in which case it will be another discussion topic during budget negotiations. Bargaining is limited to the negotiation of wages, and unions also are now required to hold a vote of members every year to continue.
Finally, the law requires that all public employees contribute more toward their health insurance and pensions.
If you have questions about any of these issues, or other budget related topics, contact Cheryl Becker.
Begin collecting statistics for annual report
Each year libraries are required to collect certain statistics for their annual reports, and now is a good time to begin collecting this information. Libraries that wait until January will be out of luck.
The statistics that libraries should start collecting are:
- Users of public internet computers -- For those of you who have Library Online (or some other computer management software), you can collect much of this statistic from reports. However, remember you need to count usage on any non-LINKcat internet workstations as well. You also need to count usage on any LINKcat terminal from which you can also access the internet (even if you can only access certain sites). If you do not have software that counts the usage for you, you must do a survey week (some libraries do 2 or more survey weeks during different parts of the year and average them) and then multiply by 52 weeks. Information about collecting these statistics is available at www.scls.info/management/annual/elecres.html
- Reference Questions -- If an annual count of reference transactions is unavailable, a typical week sample survey (page 6 of the annual report instructions recommends you select a week in October) or other reliable estimate may be used to determine the actual number. The annual report software gives you three options for "How collected" in a drop-down menu: Actual Count, Survey Week, or Rough Estimate. However, if a library reports a rough estimate, it will not be counted toward the state totals. Visit www.scls.info/reference/refques.html for more information about reference questions.
- Visits -- Just as with reference questions, if you do not have a "people counter," you may use a survey week (or weeks) to determine the number.
It’s important to remember that everyone's data is better if all libraries report all questions.
For more information, you can refer to the instructions for the 2010 Annual Report (these will be updated for the 2011 report, early next year.) If you have questions, contact Cheryl Becker.
Member/Staff News
Kara Blue is the new director at Albertson Memorial Library in Albany. She has an MA from UW-Madison's library and information studies program, graduating in 2010. She worked at Albany for about a year while in school, but most recently worked at the UW in various capacities, such as for the Friends of the Libraries for UW-Madison, the University Archives, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Kara continues to work part-time in records management at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board. Before she went to library school, Kara worked as an ecologist at a private consulting firm. Her early career and school background was in biology and botany.
Jean Funcke is the new youth services librarian at Baraboo Public Library. She said librarianship is a new (and exciting) career for her, after having been in "people and information" services for years, mostly in cooperative management. Jean’s undergraduate studies focused on theater and literature, and she received her MLS from UW-Madison SLIS in December 2008. She relocated to Baraboo from Madison this spring, for this job.
Good news from New Glarus! On Friday afternoon, July 8, the Library Board purchased 2.23 acres of land on the west end of New Glarus (located on Hwy 39 next to the Swiss Center of North America). Director Denise Anton Wright said, “It's a gorgeous location and has a marvelous view! After 10 years of seemingly endless study and discussion, thanks to everyone who made this a reality. Special thanks to the New Glarus Village Board for their support of this purchase.” The Library Board is now in the process of creating a fund raising task force for a new library facility to be built on the property.
Penny Johnson, teen specialist at Baraboo Public Library, wrote a chapter for the newest edition of Outstanding Books for the College Bound, a recently released ALA publication. During the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Penny was installed as the new Fiscal Officer for the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of ALA. In this capacity she will serve on both the YALSA board and the Executive Committee for the next three years.
Norma Jean LeMoine has announced her resignation as director of the Rock Springs Public Library, effective Sept. 3, 2011. She plans to return to work in the field of electronics engineering. “I want to thank everyone for a very wonderful and memorable eight years,” Norma Jean said. “Although library service is far from my training, I have greatly enjoyed working in the library community, and will truly miss all the wonderful friends I have made over the past few years.”
Erin Weirough is the new Library Assistant I at Columbus Public Library. Liz Beck retired the end of April after working for the library for 20 years.
The July issue of WSLL @ Your Service has been published at http://wilawlibrary.gov/newsletter/1107.html.
Concealed carry will become law on Nov. 1
On July 8, Gov. Walker signed SB-93, making it legal to carry concealed weapons in Wisconsin. The law will go into effect in November. Although under the new law it is illegal to carry firearms into some government-owned buildings, it does not extend the same restriction to public libraries.
Libraries may ban firearms by posting signs to that effect -- if you choose to do this, it is recommended that you do so in keeping with a board-approved policy. Since the law requires that signs must be posted so that individuals “can be reasonably expected to see the sign,” posting them at all entrances seems wise.
While the Milwaukee Public Library Board has agreed to develop a plan for banning firearms in all of its buildings, it has not yet finalized a policy or wording for signs. Board members will be discussing the matter again at their July 26 meeting. Meanwhile, the City of Middleton passed an ordinance this month (16.05(12)) prohibiting firearms in buildings owned, occupied or under the control of the City.”
We will share more information with you as it becomes available. If you have questions in the meantime, contact Cheryl Becker.
Dane County seeks library assistants
The Dane County Library Service is recruiting two part-time Library Assistants (80% each). Duties include driving the county's bookmobile, providing public library service to all ages, and performing related circulation and technical services functions.
The schedule requires two evenings per week and one Saturday in four. The 80% library assistants work four eight-hour days per week. The hourly wage is $19.09 with further merit increases to $20.82, longevity pay of 3 percent to 12 percent of base salary, and excellent benefits.
The positions require any combination of training and experience equivalent to two years of college (including eight basic credits of library science) or two years of public library experience including substantial public contact, bibliographic file maintenance, and searching duties. Experience creating bibliographic records and/or maintaining library acquisition, cataloging or circulation records in an automated environment is highly desirable. A commercial driver’s license must be obtained within one month of start date.
Recruitment ends at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 22, 2011. Application materials, including the Qualifications Statement, must be submitted by the closing date.
Application materials and more information can be found on the Dane County website.
Database use by your library's patrons
Ever wonder how much your patrons are using online resources like Ancestry Library, EBSCO, and the rest? SCLS gathers some usage statistics by way of our authentication scripts, and while the database statistics aren't perfect (they're really more of a "ballpark" count), they can give your library an idea of which resources your patrons use and which may need more training and promotion. OverDrive statistics come straight from OverDrive and should be accurate.
To take a look at the statistics:
- Database statistics by library are now posted or January - June 2011 (lower left of page).
- OverDrive statistics by library (links just below the table of system-wide OverDrive use).
If you have a need for custom reports (database or OverDrive) or reports in a different file format, please contact Kerri Hilbelink.
Rock Springs seeks new director
Rock Spring Public Library, which has a service population of about 1,200 residents, is seeking a new director.
The library is looking for someone -- preferably local -- with great people skills, that is detail oriented, responsible, can work well with others and alone, is an energetic self-starter, and has schedule flexibility. Prior library experience would be great, but is not necessary. Candidates must be eligible for Grade 3 library certification (completed at least 54 college semester hours, half of which must be in the liberal arts and sciences).
This is a permanent position, and is approximately 28 hours a week. Instead of an application, please submit a letter of introduction stating why you would like to be considered for the position, and why you think you would be an asset to the community. Please submit to: PO Box 246, Rock Springs, WI 53961. Three references will be requested prior to any interview. A detailed job description is available.
Berninger is new RL&LL director
The Department of Public Instruction recently announced the appointment of Martha Farley Berninger as the new director of the Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning team (RL&LL) in the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning.
Among her responsibilities will be administering the programs of the RL&LL Team, including the development of new information services to libraries and the education community; acquisition of digital content; negotiating and monitoring statewide library contracts, and assisting with Division management and planning. She began her new role on July 3, 2011, replacing long-time RL&LL Director Sally Drew, who retired in December after nearly 34 years with DPI.
Martha joined the Department of Public Instruction in 2006 as the Reference and Interlibrary Loan Supervisor at the Reference and Loan Library (now RL&LL). Before coming to DPI, Martha was the associate director and librarian at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. She also worked in the private sector as a consultant with the NexisLexis Group, as a research analyst for the Signature Group, and as a corporate librarian for Montgomery Ward. She has also worked at LaGrange Park Public Library, Forest Park Public Library, and Stickney Forest-View Library in Illinois.
--reprinted from Channel Weekly (Vol. 13, No. 36 – July 7, 2011)
It’s never too late to get a library card
On Tuesday, June 28, an Almond resident came into the library with her daughter-in-law. They had walked down to the library and were interested in large print materials. After speaking with the daughter-in-law, I learned that the elder woman had just celebrated her 100th birthday. She never had a library card because a daughter always checked out books for her. The daughter-in-law decided it was time for her mother-in-law to get her own, so I issued her first card. I guess it is never too late to become a patron!
--from Deb Roloff, Library Aide, Almond Branch Library
BadgerStat provides Wisconsin performance data
BadgerStat is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization motivated by a simple idea: Every Wisconsinite should have access to clear, accurate, timely, and useful performance data about the state. To date, there are 27 BadgerStat briefs in 12 policy areas.
What are performance data? They are measures that help you understand how Wisconsin is doing on important issues like
- the economy,
- business climate,
- kids and families,
- the environment,
- education,
- health,
- public safety,
- transportation,
- the workforce, and
- government efficiency.
Whether you’re a policymaker, business leader, advocate, journalist, student, or -- most importantly -- a Wisconsinite who cares about our state and its performance, BadgerStat is designed to help give you useful information about trends in Wisconsin.
BadgerStat is in start-up mode, having launched in early 2011. As a result, user input is sought. If you have feedback or suggestions, please contact BadgerStat at [email protected].
Colombia's Biblioburro is topic of new PBS documentary
You’ve probably heard about the Biblioburro (donkey library) project, a Colombian teacher who used two hard-working donkeys to bring books to poor children. Now it’s the subject of a documentary being shown on Wisconsin Public Television on July 22 at 9 p.m.
The Biblioburro is a heartwarming, amazing example of how even the smallest libraries can touch and change lives. If nothing else, watch it yourself to get the inspiration you need to continue your own important work.
If you are interested in promoting the documentary within your community, more information and materials are available on the documentary’s website. There is a link to "Help us promote the film," and everything you need is there -- instructions to embed the video trailer on your website, suggestions for social media, a press release, an email message template, and info on getting a copy to show, free, to your own community.