Index
- Webinar explores Wisconsin Common Core State Standards
- Member/Staff News
- Fast Facts about Wisconsin Public Libraries 2011
- Columbus seeks full-time youth services librarian/assistant director
- Librarians’ tour to Germany
- Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums
- ALA to host webinar on digital literacy and libraries
- Nominations sought for 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards
- LibraryAware Community Award accepting nominations
- Registration opens for 2013 National Día program registry
- Continuing Education Calendar
Webinar explores Wisconsin Common Core State Standards
Join hosts Barb Novak, DPI reading specialist, Nancy Anderson, DPI school library consultant, and Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, DPI public library consultant, on Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. to find out how and why the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) apply to your work as a Wisconsin school or public librarian.
In preparation for the webinar Common Core in School and Public Libraries, please review your basic understanding of CCSS.
There is no need to register. Just click the link above on the scheduled meeting day and time. Webinars will be recorded and archived for later viewing. Attendees who need telephone audio (versus VoIP) should use the conference number (877) 820-7831 and enter participant passcode: 697156.
Please be sure to test your system before the webinar. If needed, you can get assistance by using the Blackboard Collaborate overview video and Blackboard Collaborate support.
Columbus Public Library wishes a fond
farewell to Melissa Potter (right), the youth Services Librarian for the last six years.
In that time, Melissa entertained and educated families with engaging read
alouds, rowdy sing-a-longs, and rousing book discussions. She has glued and
glittered with genius and gusto. The board, staff and wide community that make
up Columbus Public Library wishes Melissa all the best in her new job at
Kindred Kids in Columbus.
Madison Public Library welcomes Nathaniel Clark (Animation Instructor, Goodman South Madison Library), Christy Doskocil (Page, Pinney Library), Rebekka Lafferty-Gebauer (Page 2, Sequoya Library), Debra Jo Grandon (Page 2, Sequoya Library), Amanda Haag (Page 2, Meadowridge Library), and Rebecca Kraft (Page 2, Sequoya Library). Heidi Marzen (Library Assistant) will be transferring from Alicia Ashman to Lakeview Library.
New Glarus Public Library received a grant from the New Glarus Community Foundation and the Anonymous II Fund for "Computers for the Community.” According to Director Maggie Waggoner, “We replaced four staff computers with help from these funds, which are part of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin. Thanks to SCLS for help with the ordering and the installation, which Craig was able to complete on Nov. 30.”
Fast Facts about Wisconsin Public Libraries 2011
The following list emphasizes some of the trends in library usage as reported on the 2011 Public Library Annual Reports.
- Over the last 5 years, public library visits have increased by over 7% and circulation has increased 8%. The number of paid library staff decreased 1.6%. Public library staff per capita has decreased 2.6% over this period.
- In comparison with other states, Wisconsin ranks 8th in per capita circulation, but 22nd for total operating revenue and 19th for total operating expenditures per capita.
- Six out of ten state residents are registered library users. These library users made over 34.4 million visits to Wisconsin public libraries in 2011. Season attendance for Brewers home games in 2011 was 3.1 million. Wisconsin ranks 11th nationally in registered library users.
- The average number of user visits per week to Wisconsin public libraries is 660,000. Season total attendance at Packers home games was about 565,000.
- Over 64.5 million items were circulated by Wisconsin’s public libraries in 2011. Wisconsin ranks 8th in per capita circulation nationally.
- On average, 1.25 million items are checked out of Wisconsin public libraries each week. More than one-third of these circulations are children’s materials.
- Each year over 9 million items are shared between libraries to fill requests for materials not available locally. Wisconsin ranks 1st nationally in per capita interlibrary loans. Resource sharing coordinated by public library systems and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is a model for how to use public resources efficiently.
- Wisconsin has 385 public libraries and 82 public library branches. Almost all of these libraries will serve any Wisconsin resident. All of Wisconsin’s public libraries have voluntarily chosen to participate in one of the state’s regional public library systems that provide efficiencies through sharing and consolidation of services.
- The average per capita municipal and county property taxes paid by Wisconsin residents for public library operations in 2011 was $37.11. Wisconsin ranks 18th in per capita local and county tax support.
- Nearly all of Wisconsin public libraries offer wireless Internet access to library users. Wisconsin public libraries provide access to licensed electronic books and downloadable audio and video files.
- In 2011 state residents downloaded over 500,000 eBooks and audio books made available through a cooperative collection developed by local public libraries and regional public library systems. Wisconsin’s digital collection ranks third nationally in volume of use, and use of the collaborative collection has doubled in 2012. Every Wisconsin library and citizen has access to thousands of online newspapers, magazines, and books through the DPI’s BadgerLink service.
- Through Wisconsin public libraries, every resident has access to employment resources, including help with job searches, creating resumes, and submitting employment applications.
- Programs provided by public libraries and directed toward children had attendance of over 1.6 million. Summer library program attendance for children and young adults was over 500,000.
- As funding for public libraries has been limited by the economic downturn of recent years, many libraries have found it difficult to maintain historic service levels. Statewide, almost all service levels have remained the same or declined slightly over the past two years. With the changes made recently to Wisconsin’s state library laws, it is estimate that 50% of all libraries saw a decrease in their 2012 local and county funding, and 20% remained at last year’s level.
The list is available as a PDF file on the DLT website, as is a 22-year trend chart on public library service measures since 1990.
--from Channel Weekly (Vol. 15, No. 9 – Nov. 30, 2012)
Columbus seeks full-time youth services librarian/assistant director
Columbus Public Library seeks a full-time Youth
Services Librarian/Assistant Director who is a fun people-person that enjoys
working with children of all ages and the people who care for them. Candidates
should be creative, energetic, organized, tech savvy, and able to demonstrate
great customer service skills. Proven success in community engagement efforts
is a plus.
The successful candidate for this full-time position will have an MLS and progressively responsible library experience, preferably in children’s/youth services. A team player with leadership skills and experience would be a great fit for this hybrid position. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.
The position is responsible for professional Youth Services Librarian duties, including: programming for newborns to teens, reader’s advisory, collection analysis and maintenance, outreach to area schools, managing the Youth Services department and personnel. Assistant Director duties include: acting as librarian-in-charge as needed, some managerial and administrative support, and some bigger picture thinking.
Hours will include some nights and weekends, so flexibility is a must. Annual salary is $31,200 with a full benefits package.
To apply, please e-mail a cover letter, resume and three references to Cindy Fesemyer, Director, Columbus Public Library, 223 W James St, Columbus, WI 53925. The application deadline is Dec. 28, 2012. (job description).
The UW-Madison School of Library and
Information Studies (SLIS) recently announced its Librarians’ Tour to Germany,
scheduled June 1-10, 2013. Participants will experience Germany through its
libraries, archives, historic sites and scenery.
This small group will spend the first few days in Mainz, focusing on Gutenberg and the city's relationship with printing. Participants will also travel to Stuttgart, with its rich cultural offerings, spend a day in Tübingen, and finish up in Munich and take day trips to Nuremburg and King Ludwig II’s castles in the Bavarian Alps. There will also be free time for exploring, shopping, and relaxing. A more detailed itinerary and registration form is available on the UW-Madison SLIS website.
The registration fee is $2,030 (excluding airfare), which includes accommodations, all breakfasts and five dinners, transportation within Germany, entry fees for group excursions, non-credit instructional fees, and gratuities, based on double occupancy. A limited number of single rooms are available for an additional cost of $420. The program is open to all and may be taken for an optional one hour of graduate credit from SLIS. Students registering for graduate credit will be billed separately for approximately $100 for tuition.
For detailed information and itinerary, visit the UW-Madison SLIS website or contact Meredith Lowe at (608) 890-0364. Please register by March 9 to guarantee your spot.
Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums (application deadline is Feb. 1, 2013). The one year grants range from range from $10,000 to $25,000
There will be a web conference on Jan. 9 to learn more about the program, ask questions, and listen to the questions and comments of other participants. To participate in the web conference, a few minutes before it is scheduled to begin simply log in.
Then, using any touchtone phone, call (866) 299-7945. When prompted to enter a passcode, enter 7434925#.
The Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums are a special funding opportunity within the IMLS National Leadership Grants program. These small grants encourage libraries, museums, and archives to test and evaluate specific innovations in the ways they operate and the services they provide. Sparks Grants support the deployment, testing, and evaluation of promising and groundbreaking new tools, products, services, or organizational practices. You may propose activities or approaches that involve risk, as long as the risk is balanced by significant potential for improvement in the ways libraries and museums serve their communities.
Successful proposals will address problems, challenges, or needs of broad relevance to libraries, museums, and/or archives. A proposed project should test a specific, innovative response to the identified problem and present a plan to make the findings widely and openly accessible.
More informationi is available on the IMLS website.
ALA to host webinar on digital literacy and libraries
As the technology landscape continues to evolve rapidly, every information professional must be prepared to teach meaningful digital skills to their communities. But how do librarians and educators keep up with the continual stream of new advancements?
To facilitate a national dialogue on digital literacy education, the American Library Association (ALA) will host the free webinar “Assessing Digital Literacy: Outcomes and Impact” from 6-7 p.m. CST on Dec. 11, 2012. The webinar, which will be hosted by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) and the ALA Digital Literacy Task Force, is a follow-up to the highly attended webinar the ALA hosted in November.
In this national conversation, which will be moderated by OITP Fellow Dr. Renee Hobbs, attendees will hear from participants who are exploring ways to measure the effectiveness of digital literacy programs. Topics will include:
- How do we motivate and support library staff in staying current?
- What are the perceived obstacles that interfere with the continuing education process? and
- What resources or continuous learning models already are available to the profession, and what are their pros/cons?
To RSVP for the webinar (which will be streamed live), email OITP Assistant Director Marijke Visser, using “Digital Literacy” in the subject line.
Nominations sought for 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards
The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is accepting applications for the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.
The 12 winning programs will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to accept their awards from First Lady Michelle Obama, the President’s Committee’s Honorary Chairman, at a ceremony at the White House. In addition, winners will receive an award plaque, the opportunity to attend the Annual Awardee Conference in Washington, DC, in the summer of 2013, and recognition on the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award website.
After school and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, educational institutions, arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities are encouraged to submit an application. Programs applying for the award must meet all of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards eligibility criteria.
Completed applications will only be accepted via the online process, and the submission deadline is 7 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 4, 2013.
The online national Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards application is available online. If you have questions, send an e-mail to [email protected] or call (202) 682-5571.
--from Channel Weekly (Vol. 15, No. 9 – Nov. 30, 2012)
LibraryAware Community Award accepting nominations
Library Journal is looking for libraries that are deeply engaged with their communities and where the community is equally engaged with the library. A new award, the LibraryAware Community Award will recognize those cities and towns and their libraries, or library systems, that have demonstrated their ability to make the community aware of what the library can do for them -- and have delivered on that promise. The award will be given by Library Journal and underwritten by LibraryAware, a product of the NoveList division of EBSCO Publishing.
This award will illuminate the value that communities throughout the United States and Canada derive from their libraries and highlight the outcomes of work by libraries -- through the development of effective programs, services, partnerships, and communications -- that result in better communities and an increased understanding of how libraries contribute to a community’s well-being.
The LibraryAware Community Award will be given annually to a community of any size and its library during National Library Week. It will be presented to the city or town officials and the library director. The city or town will receive a plaque identifying it as a “LibraryAware” community. The winning library will receive $10,000, with second place receiving $7,500, and third place receiving $5,000. The first winners will be announced in April 2013 and the winning library will be featured in a Library Journal article hat same month.
The LibraryAware Community Award will go to a library whose community is aware of, and recognizes, the library’s role
- in areas that are documented priorities in the community served by the library, such as digital access, adoption, and/or literacy; economic and workforce development; education; health care; public safety and emergency services; and civic engagement;
- as a place of transformation and change; and
- as an organization whose activities ensure outcomes that are essential to the vitality of the community.
Criteria for the award include any and all components that create a LibraryAware community: strategic planning, marketing, outreach, partnerships, and programs, product, or service development.
Additional information on the criteria plus submission requirements is available on the Library Journal website.
--from Channel Weekly (Vol. 15, No. 9 – Nov. 30, 2012)
Registration opens for 2013 National Día program registry
The
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is inviting librarians to
register their 2013 El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s
Day/Book Day) programs in the 2013 National Día Program Registry.
By registering their Día programs held throughout the year in the national registry, libraries build a national database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming. The information will display on the website, in both the map and database format, allowing you to share program information with other librarians and the public interested in learning more about Día programs happening around the country. Libraries that register will also receive Día stickers and bookmarks (while supplies last).
ALSC also is pleased to announce this year’s slogan “Día: Diversity in Action.” Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.
“As the most important celebration for multicultural children’s library services, Día truly is Diversity in Action,” said ALSC President Carolyn Brodie. “We’re proud to offer this registration as a way of promoting local events on a national level. With every registration, we’re showcasing the reach of Día, allowing ALSC to expand the experience and support of this great initiative.”
“Literacy is essential in democracy and what a diverse country we are,” said Día founder Pat Mora. “Those of us lucky enough to be readers and wanting to share bookjoy can help link all children to books, languages and cultures through Día, day by day, día pro día. Promote your April Día celebration on this helpful ALSC registry. Help illustrate and generate Día excitement nationally.”
Libraries can register at the Día website, where ALSC also offers a resource guide, booklist and logos for download.
The Día celebration was founded in 1996 by children’s book author Pat Mora, who proposed conceptually linking the exisiting El Día del Niño with literacy. The founding partner of Día is REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking. For more information on Día, please visit http://dia.ala.org.
ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit www.ala.org/alsc.