Index
- BadgerNet contract finalized; subsidy levels lower than hoped
- Court dismisses suit against UW-Extension broadband project
- MPL, NOF & WID are 2011 Star Libraries
- Madison Community Foundation pledges $500,000 to MPL
- WebJunction announces webinar on developing support for rural libraries
- BadgerLink’s TeachingBooks announces customizable accounts
- Groundswell video worth watching again
- BadgerLink updates Auto Repair Reference Center
- Salem Press launches free library grants resource
- Continuing Education Calendar
BadgerNet contract finalized; subsidy levels lower than hoped
The Department of Public Instruction’s Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning (DLTCL) recently announced that the BadgerNet contract has finally been signed, which means that AT&T and the various telecommunications companies that provide network access over the BadgerNet Converged Network (BCN) have reached an agreement. The contract between the Telcos and DOA has been extended for another five years.
The good news is that SCLS now can move forward with bandwidth increases at libraries that need it most. We also can start the process of bringing BadgerNet lines to those libraries that do not currently have connectivity through BCN. SCLS will be actively working with TEACH, and hopefully they will be able to meet their goal of having the increases in place by the first quarter of 2012, as indicated previously by DLTCL.
The bad news is that the signed contract does not subsidize the cost of BadgerNet at the level we were hoping. Currently, we spend $100 /month or $1,200 a year on each BadgerNet connection under 10 Mbps, and were under the impression that TEACH would continue to subsidize bandwidth increases at that same financial level in 2012. However, under the current contract, any increase of bandwidth speeds to 5 Mbps or more will result in a cost increase of $150 per month, or $1,800 a year, bringing the total cost to $3,000 per site per year for those sites needing increased bandwidth.
Keep in mind that at this time, the TEACH subsidies correlate with the number of Public (Patron) PCs at any given library:
- If a library has less than 10 patron PCs, TEACH will subsidize up to 5 Mbps of bandwidth.
- If a library has between 10 and 30 patron PCs, TEACH will subsidize up to 10 Mbps of bandwidth.
- If a library has over 30 patron PCs, TEACH will subsidize up to 20 Mbps of bandwidth.
South Central is working on possible scenarios to deal with this unexpected cost increase and will be communicating them via e-mail or on the Technology News Blog. For more information, contact Jon Mark Bolthouse, SCLS technology projects manager.
Court dismisses suit against UW-Extension broadband project
The recent decision by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson to allow broadband internet expansion to continue in four areas of Wisconsin is “good news for the Wisconsin economy,” said project coordinator Maria Alvarez-Stroud.
“This work by the University of Wisconsin-Extension and our many community partners is vital to the future of the Wisconsin economy,” said Ray Cross, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Wisconsin Colleges. “I hope that now government, the university, private businesses and communities in every corner of the state will be able to work together to assure Wisconsin is connected to the global economy.”
The Building Community Capacity through Broadband (BCCB) project is a public-private collaboration that is benefiting Wisconsin communities by connecting 182 Community Anchor Institutions -- libraries, schools, government, health care and public safety (police and fire). The project is not serving businesses or residents; rather, it is bringing fiber optic cabling into communities so private telecom businesses can use it to supply these customers. It is a direct goal of this project to increase the number of subscribers to private business internet providers.
Anderson’s decision dismissed a suit filed in July by the Wisconsin Independent Telecommunications Systems, operating as Access Wisconsin. The lawsuit named the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, WiscNet, CCI Systems Inc. and the state Department of Transportation.
MPL, NOF & WID are 2011 Star Libraries
Kilbourn Public Library in Wisconsin Dells, Madison Public Library, and North Freedom Public Library are the three SCLS member libraries recently recognized by Library Journal as 2011 Star Libraries. Wisconsin has five libraries in this year’s ranking.
To be included, public libraries must meet the IMLS definition of a public library:
- have annual operating expenditures of at least $10,000;
- have a legal service area population of at least 1,000; and
- report all four per capita service measures on which the index score is based (circulation, visits, program attendance, and public Internet terminal uses)
The per capita rankings for each library, and their overall scores, are:
- Kilbourn Public Library -- Circulation 18.8, Visits 17.7, Program Attendance 0.8, Public Internet Terminal Uses 11.4, Total Score 1,580
- Madison Public Library -- Circulation 8.8, Visits 18.2, Program Attendance 0.3, Public Internet Terminal Uses 2.1, Total Score 753
- North Freedom Public Library -- Circulation 6.9, Visits 14.8, Program Attendance 0.4, Public Internet Terminal Uses 5.3, Total Score 1,307
In 2011 LibraryJournal named 262 Star Libraries. You can read more, including the entire list, at the LibraryJournal web site.
Madison Community Foundation pledges $500,000 to MPL
A long-time supporter of Dane County’s libraries, the Madison Community Foundation (MCF), has pledged $500,000 toward construction of the new Central Library.
“This capstone gift fits all of the Madison Community Foundation major focus areas: Arts & Culture, Children, Community Development, Elderly, Environment, Learning and Youth,” said Kathleen Woit, Madison Community Foundation president. “Libraries are part of the thread that holds communities together, and this new facility will not only answer increased need for library services downtown, but will also be the hub for added resources for all nine Madison branches.”
Over the course of the last three years, MCF donated a total of over $620,000 to the capital campaigns for Sequoya, Lakeview, and Goodman South and $55,000 to the Pinney, Sequoya, and Hawthorne Branch Endowment Funds. This most recent donation, a part of Madison Public Library Foundation’s Learning for a Lifetime: The Community Campaign for a New Central Library, is MCF’s largest gift to the library in foundation history.
Rich Lynch, MCF board chair and president of J.H. Findorff & Son, calls the new library “a model urban library plan to which the Foundation is proud to present a very major gift.” This donation will go toward the $9 million in private funds that the foundation will raise for the new building. The remainder of the $30 million project will be paid for through city funding.
“Raising $9 million for the Central Library is the most ambitious endeavor that the library foundation has ever undertaken. Madison Community Foundation has truly matched the magnitude of our goal with their generosity,” said Jenni Collins, Executive Director of the Madison Public Library Foundation. “It’s a great endorsement from an enduring community partner.”
The new Central Library will expand to 120,000 square feet -- over 20 percent larger than the existing building-- adding more seats for patrons and 50 percent more space available to the public. It will have three times the number of public computers, a fully-equipped media lab, and free Wi-Fi throughout the building.
The new building, opening in 2013, is expected to receive over 1 million visitors its first year.
To donate to the Learning for a Lifetime Campaign or any of the endowment funds managed by Madison Community Foundation, visit www.mplfoundation.org or contact Jenni Collins.
WebJunction announces webinar on developing support for rural libraries
WebJunction recently announced a free 60-minute webinar at 1 p.m. on Dec. 14, 2011, to introduce a revised edition of ALA’s popular “Small But Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library.”
This webinar highlights the tips and strategies presented in the toolkit, shares the experiences of a rural librarian who has built support for her library, and introduces some of the additional advocacy tools and resources from the American Library Association.
The scheduled presenters are Miguel Figueroa, director, ALA Office for Literacy & Outreach Services; Susan Hill Pieper, director, Paulding County Carnegie Library (OH) and editor of the Rural Library Services Newsletter; and Jennifer Peterson, community manager at WebJunction, board member, Association for Rural & Small Libraries and chair of ALA Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds Committee.
The “Small But Powerful Guide” is available from the ALA.
The webinar is free but registration is required.
BadgerLink’s TeachingBooks announces customizable accounts
Through BadgerLink, all Wisconsin residents have access to TeachingBooks.net, a database containing thousands of multimedia resources about children's and young adult books and authors that support K-12 library and literacy activities.
Access to the database is changing slightly because TeachingBooks is introducing customization for school districts, universities, and libraries across the state. By setting up institution-specific access, the Wisconsin-based company seeks to provide information and resources more tailored to individual needs.
You can access TeachingBooks directly, or through BadgerLink.
For more information, contact TeachingBooks (mailto:[email protected]) at (800) 596-0710, or contact BadgerLink technical support.
-- from Channel Weekly (Vol. 14, No. 9 – Nov. 10, 2011)
Groundswell video worth watching again
If you haven’t already seen this 17-minute video, you should. If you have, it’s well worth watching again. It’s a story that has the potential to inspire communities everywhere to rally around their public libraries.
The American Library Association distributed the independent documentary by Groundswell executive director Jeff Spitz.
BadgerLink updates Auto Repair Reference Center
BadgerLink’s Auto Repair Reference Center interface has been updated. Key features of the updated interface include:
- Intuitive, user-friendly navigation
- Enhanced searching within content collections
- Ability to print/email/save high-quality PDF records
- Increased repair coverage -- more than 37,000 vehicles covered
- Expanded, in-depth repair information from the major original equipment manufacturers, including Ford, Honda, and GMC
- On-Board Diagnostics (OBD II) codes with description and troubleshooting information
To learn more about the new Auto Repair Reference Center you can attend one of EBSCO’s free online training sessions at http://training.ebsco.com. If you have questions, contact BadgerLink technical support.
-- from Channel Weekly (Vol. 14, No. 9 – Nov. 10, 2011)
Salem Press launches free library grants resource
This week Salem Press launched The Library Grants Center, a free, online directory of grants for libraries at the national, state, regional, and local levels.
The grants tool empowers librarians to locate library grant funding sources on the national, state, regional and local levels (U.S. sources). The center is free, requires no login or authentication, and will be updated on a regular basis. It also contains a how-to area with a tutorial, FAQ, and lists of resources.
The Library Grants Center consists of three distinct sections.
- National Library Grants features a sophisticated search tool that lets grant seekers perform simple keyword searches or narrow their search options. A range of browsing options is also provided, including browsing by grant category, purpose, and deadline.
- State Library Grants is a state-by-state guide that points librarians to grant information specific to their state and to the foundations in their area that support libraries.
- Library Grants: How-To provides in-depth information on the grant applications process, complete with extensive lists of resources for further research and pointing to grant writing tools available online at no cost.
According to the Salem press release, the web site focuses on grants available to all types of libraries and from a range of sources -- public and private -- including professional organizations, large corporations, and family foundations.