Index
- Francis Cherney to receive 2014 ‘Cornerstone Award’
- OverDrive support course to start Sept. 22
- Stealthy Fundraising and the North Freedom Public Library
- Member/Staff News
- The Digital Shift 2014: Libraries @ the Center
- PLA accepting applications for 2015 PLA Leadership Academy
- Free resources available to help libraries engage community, lead change
- Continuing Education Calendar
Francis Cherney to receive 2014 ‘Cornerstone Award’
Since 1969 Francis Cherney has been working on behalf of public libraries in Wood County, and on Nov. 20, 2014, he will be recognized for his countless efforts as the recipient of the South Central Library System (SCLS) Foundation Cornerstone Award.
“This is the Foundation’s sixth annual award to honor people who have made significant contributions to the improvement of library service in their own communities, throughout the South Central Library System, and statewide,” said Janet Pugh, foundation board president and member of the SCLS Board of Trustees. “I’ve known and worked with Francis for years, and this is a fitting tribute to a selfless supporter of public libraries.”
The award is given to an individual or individuals who have had a significant and long-term impact on enhancing public libraries in South Central Wisconsin and represent the values and mission of the SCLS Foundation. This year’s fundraising award reception will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at the 5100 Bar, 5100 Erling Avenue in McFarland (www.5100bar.com). You can make a contribution to honor Francis at www.sclsfoundation.org.
Francis began his public service in 1969 when he started a six-year stint as the town clerk. It was during this time that he started on the Wood County Library Board, serving ever since. He later became a member of the Wisconsin Valley Library System board, and served there until Wood County joined the South Central Library System. He has served as a member of the South Central Library System Board since that time.
In addition to this library service, former Gov. Jim Doyle appointed Francis to the Council on Libraries and Network Development (COLAND). “My experience with libraries through the years has helped me as I serve on this board,” Francis said. “I enjoyed serving for about two years as president of the SCLS Board, and lobbying in Washington, DC, was a learning experience as we tried to get our message out.”
Francis was a frequent participant in National Library Legislative Day in Washington, DC, as a member of the South Central Board. He has also been very involved in the Wood County Farm Bureau Board, and visited Washington, DC, several times to lobby on behalf of Wisconsin’s dairy farmers.
After high school Francis worked on the family farm for several years, was drafted into the army and spent several years in Germany, then returned home to work on the two family dairy farms, managing them after his father’s death, then farming one of them on his own after getting married. “My goal was to milk cows until I was 80,” Francis said. “Well, I did that, in fact more than an extra year now, so, I have to look for a new goal!”
Francis and his wife Bev have one son and two daughters, five granddaughters, and a new great-grandson. According to Pugh, this sixth annual Cornerstone Award Reception continues a fundraising tradition that has raised more than $60,000 for the foundation in five years
This year’s event will also offer a new twist—three new awards to recognize the amazing work public libraries do every day while serving their communities. The awards are:
“This sixth annual Cornerstone Award fundraising reception is a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on someone who has given so much of himself to public libraries,” Pugh said. “It’s also a great way to raise money for the Foundation, which in turn makes funds available for projects that benefit all member public libraries.”
The Foundation contributed $6,188 this year to purchase ebook titles for Wisconsin’s Digital Library (OverDrive collection), thereby reducing library costs, and will contribute another $5,000 in 2015. An additional $3,975 has been dedicated to the purchase of technology and materials for a traveling makerspace kit being developed by the SCLS Innovation Subcommittee.
OverDrive support course to start Sept. 22
The next OverDrive Support Course will begin on Sept. 22 and continue through Oct. 24, and registration is now open.
All course materials are online and can be reviewed at your convenience. There will be weekly readings, quizzes, and email questions. While the course is online, it is interactive. Participants will receive weekly email questions from ‘pretend’ patrons and have to respond to their support request as if it were a real request.
If you have any questions, please contact Jean Anderson. Register here!
Stealthy Fundraising and the North Freedom Public Library
As I was reading through my blogs recently, I came across this article about a program to recycle shoes and earn money for your library (or other non-profit organization). According to the article, "participating organizations return the boxes to Shoebox Recycling and receive 50 cents a pound or about $20 for a 40-pound box." Reading about this program reminded me of my recent visit to Raina Roloff and the North Freedom Public Library.
A little background about North Freedom Public Library from their 2013 Annual Report:
- Municipal population = 688
- Service population = 1,241
- Registered card users = 499
- Library visits = 10,013
- Collection size = 15,252
- Circulation = 18,547
- Square footage of library = 1,196
- Program number and attendance = 97 and 1,341
For a tiny library, those are huge numbers!
When I think of Raina and her library, I think of stealth fundraising. The library has a wildly successful Amazon Wish List (they have a very benevolent donor). The library holds an annual book & bake sale which raised $1,141 this past June and brings with it a $1,000 matching grant. In addition, plans are in the works for a silent auction this fall. Okay, the book & bake sale and silent auction aren't very stealthy.
Here's the stealthy part. When you walk into her library, there is candy and pop for sale. Patrons can purchase Kwik Trip gas cards at the library and 10% of the proceeds benefit the library. Together, the pop, candy, and Kwik Trip cards raise about $2,000 a year. The local elementary school held a fundraiser for the library and raised $1,280. A relatively new festival in town has designated a portion of their proceeds for the library. And, that doesn't count what their benevolent donor purchases for the library from their Wish List. That's over $3,200 in funds & materials for the library without a lot of extra work from Raina or her staff.
Maybe next time I visit the North Freedom Public Library there will be a box to recycle my shoes and support the library at the same time.
--by Jean Anderson, SCLS CE Consultant
The September issue of WSLL @ Your Service has been published at http://wilawlibrary.gov/newsletter/1409.html.
The Digital Shift 2014: Libraries @ the Center
Now in its 5th year, The Digital Shift: Libraries @ the Center virtual conference will focus the attention of library professionals on libraries’ central role in the transformation of our culture from analog experiences to digital experiences.
Participants will engage in a dynamic day-long conversation about our shared digital future.Participants will examine how libraries drive change like no other institution, reaching classrooms and communities around the globe, and will provide actionable answers to some of the biggest questions our profession faces.
For more information, or to register, visit the conference website.
PLA accepting applications for 2015 PLA Leadership Academy
The Public Library Association (PLA) is now accepting applications for the PLA Leadership Academy: Navigating Change -- Building Community, March 23-27, 2015, in Charleston, S.C. This special event will offer intensive, empowering leadership education for public librarians who want to increase their capacity to lead not only within the library, but also in the community.
Developed in collaboration with the International City and County Managers Association (ICMA), and supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the PLA Leadership Academy offers a groundbreaking focus on developing the skills needed to work with municipal officials and other community stakeholders to enhance the position of the library within the community and improve the overall effectiveness of library services and programs.
The PLA Leadership Academy offers:
- a three and a half day, in-person educational /networking event;
- a professional coach program with experienced public library leaders and city managers;
- development of real-world projects to implement at attendees’ libraries.
For this selective program, registration fees (valued at $2,500) are waived and all meals will be provided; however participants will be required to cover travel costs and lodging at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, S.C. Interested participants must complete an application, submit two letters of recommendation, and be accepted to participate in the PLA Leadership Academy. Applicants must be PLA members and MLS/MLIS librarians with at least five years of increasingly responsible experience. The application deadline is Sept. 30, 2014, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by Nov. 21. Attendance is selective and will be limited to 32.
The PLA Leadership Academy: Navigating Change -- Building Community was developed with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant. The curriculum is designed by the PLA Leadership Development Committee with the assistance of ICMA and Adam Goodman, director of the Center for Leadership, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and builds on PLA’s previous leadership training initiatives.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact PLA at [email protected] or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).
Free resources available to help libraries engage community, lead change
The American Library Association (ALA) is offering free materials to help libraries improve their community engagement and facilitation techniques.
The materials -- conversation guides, questionnaires, worksheets and webinars -- are designed to help libraries strengthen their roles as core community leaders and work with residents to bring positive change to their communities.
The resources were developed by The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, whose “turning outward” approach emphasizes changing the orientation of institutions and individuals from internal (organization-facing) to external (community-facing). This process entails taking steps to better understand communities; changing processes and thinking to make conversations more community-focused; being proactive about community issues; and developing shared aspirations.
Libraries are encouraged to download, copy and share the materials, free of charge, at ala.org/LTC. The resources are offered as part of ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative.
Available materials include tools such as:
- Aspirations/Aspirations Facilitator’s Guide help libraries focus on their community’s aspirations, identify next steps for creating change, and create an aspirations-based narrative for their community as a starting point for library action.
- Turn Outward helps libraries assess the focus of their efforts in the community as they shift their orientation from internal to external.
- Sustaining Yourself helps library professionals map the components that fuel their motivation and commitment for community work.
- Community Conversation Workbook explains how to convene engaging community conversations that will elicit substantial, actionable feedback from residents. The guide is accompanied by a webinar.
- Theming and Using Public Knowledge Workbook demonstrates how to organize and understand the information collected during community conversations and how to share what you have learned with others. The guide is accompanied by a webinar.
For a full list of resources, as well as a 90-day guide for getting started with the “turning outward” approach, visit ala.org/LTC.
LTC is an ALA initiative that seeks to strengthen libraries’ roles as core community leaders and change-agents. LTC addresses a critical need within the library field by developing and distributing new tools, resources and support for libraries to engage with their communities in new ways. As a result, ALA believes libraries will become more reflective of and connected to their communities and build stronger partnerships with local civic agencies, nonprofits, funders and corporations. The initiative is made possible through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.