Index
- Register now for Sept. 11 Social Services Symposium
- August ‘Talk of the Town' available
- Mark your calendar for 2015 Cornerstone Award Reception
- Member/Staff News
- SCLS maker kits available to libraries
- You can still register for ‘Trustee Training Week’ webinars
- New content in LearningExpress Library
- Continuing Education Calendar
Register now for Sept. 11 Social Services Symposium
Staff at public libraries deal with a variety of social services issues every day, brought to the library by the people they serve. True to the nature of the profession, every effort is made to provide assistance and support, but sometimes training and resources are lacking.
To help library staff members better serve their customers, the Library Innovation Subcommittee has scheduled a special Social Services Symposium for Sept. 11, 2015, at the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells.
Registration is available now, and below is the agenda for the day.
- 9-9:30 Registration & Refreshments
- 9:30-9:45 Welcome & Introductions
- 9:45-10:45 Opening session: State of Homelessness, with Paula Jero, executive director, Marshfield Area United Way -- Public libraries in Wisconsin report that they are serving more homeless patrons and families living in poverty than ever before. In this kickoff session, Paula Jero will provide up-to-date statistics about the growing homeless population in Wisconsin, and provide information about ways public libraries can partner with community agencies to serve the homeless, the unemployed, and families who are losing their homes.
- 10:45-11 Break (use break to reflect, connect, record ideas)
- 11-12 Working with patrons living in poverty, with Dr. Katherine Curtis and Dr. Leann Tigges, Department of Community and Environmental Sociology, UW Madison -- Wisconsin’s poverty rates have grown steadily over the past 15 years, especially in our state’s rural regions. This session will provide information about what it means to live in poverty in Wisconsin, and will provide techniques for connecting and working with our state’s poorest populations.
- 12-1 Lunch (time to connect with fellow participants and discuss library needs) -- Lunch will be $10, and checks should be made payable to SCLS and sent to Heidi Moe at SCLS, or payment can be made on the day of the event. Lunch will be “South of the Border,” and will include Chicken Fajitas, Beef Tacos, with sautéed onions & peppers, seasoned rice, refried beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, hard & soft shell corn tortillas, fiesta salad and fresh seasonal vegetables. Vegetarian options will also be available. The hotel does NOT allow outside food/lunches to be brought in.
- 1-2:45 Good Work and Secondary Trauma: Serving Vulnerable Communities, with Valerie Walker, LCSW, ACSW, Human Services Program Faculty & Coordinator, HMS Student Club Advisor, William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, IL -- Valerie Walker has spent years directly working with vulnerable populations, teaching students of social work, and presenting workshops to organizations that directly serve the public. In this session she will discuss methods for working with vulnerable populations, provide information about partnering agencies, and address the needs of workers on the front lines of public service.
- 2:45-3 Wrap-up & Next Steps
This event is sponsored through funding from Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds, awarded to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction by the Federal Department of Museum and Library Services, and by the First Business Bank Foundation, Madison, WI.
August ‘Talk of the Town' available
The August edition of "Talk of the Town" is now available. It features Dawn Foster from Portage Public Library talking about how libraries serve families and students during back-to-school time. (watch below)
The September edition will feature Susan Santner, Oregon Public Library Director, talking about Library Card Sign-up Month.
Mark your calendar for 2015 Cornerstone Award Reception
Plans are underway for the 2015 SCLS Foundation Cornerstone Award Reception, to be held Nov. 19 in Portage. This year’s Cornerstone Award Recipient is Patricia Townsend, who has served libraries as a member of the Adams County Library Board and Friends of the Library, and the SCLS Board of Trustees. You can make a contribution to honor Pat at www.sclsfoundation.org.
The seventh annual Cornerstone Award reception will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at 205 Vino, 205 DeWitt St., Portage. There is no cost to attend, and there will be free refreshments and a cash bar. The 2014 event raised nearly $13,000 for the SCLS Foundation.
In addition to the Cornerstone Award presentation, library staff members, trustees, friends, or residents can nominate their library to recognize the amazing work public libraries do every day while serving their communities. The awards and descriptions are listed below. To make an online nomination, simply click on the award name. All nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2015.
- Super Awesome Library Award -- For the library that was overall awesome in 2015. Maybe they handled a tough situation with grace. Or took a new approach. Or found a lot of money under a rock and did something really cool with it. Or got a lot of local support and kudos because they play well with others. Or are just plain super awesome every day.
- Program Wizard Award -- For a super creative, innovative and fun library program created by library staff. In the library or out. For babies or seniors or anyone in between. A one-off or a regular series. If Dumbledore thinks it's worthy of Wizard status, nominate it!
- Giddy Up Partner Award -- For those strong community partnerships that add value to the library and the community as a whole. It takes two, baby! Or three... or four. Nominate the library and its partner(s) and describe the amazing stuff they’re doing together.
The grand opening of the new Cambridge Community Library will be held Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, from 4-6 p.m., with a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. The library is located at 101 Spring Water Alley, Cambridge, which is in the parking lot of the A. R. Amundson Building.
Emily Judd (pictured at right) is the new director of the Sauk City Public Library, effective Aug. 3, 2015. She has 12 years of public library experience in the roles of Branch Manager and Reference Librarian at the Tuscaloosa Public Library in Alabama. She has also been an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor, managing editor for a chemistry journal, and a volunteer literacy tutor. An Indiana native, she has a BA from Indiana University and an MLIS from the University of Alabama. Emily said she is excited about being back in the Midwest, and is looking forward to getting to know her new community.
SCLS maker kits available to libraries
During the past six months, SCLS has rolled out four new maker kits for use by member libraries. These include Lego Mindstorms, a craft printing press, a scanning kit to digitize photographs, slides and negatives, and a stop motion animation and video editing kit.
The kits are still available for many dates in 2015, so libraries are encouraged to check availability and place reservations.
The newest of the kits are the stop motion animation/video editing kit and the scanning kit.
- The Stop Motion Animation and Video Editing maker kit includes six iPad minis, tripods and lightboxes, and a 10’x16’ green screen. The iPads are installed with Stop Motion Studio Pro, iMovie (for video editing), and Garage Band (for music editing). Because the kits are for these specific purposes, users will not be able to download and install any other apps.
- The Scanning Kit is a package of three different scanners and a laptop. It’s ideal for patrons who want to bring in their old family photos or documents to the library and digitize them. The scanners include:
- Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 is a high speed duplex scanner that scans both the front and back of a photo or document at the same time.
- Wolverine SNaP-14MP Film Scanner for scanning slides, negatives and prints up to 5x7 inch.
- VuPoint Magic Wand hand-held scanner for scanning documents that can’t be placed in a standard flatbed scanner.
To learn more about these SCLS maker kits, or to place a reservation, visit the Programming Resources web page.
The LegoMindstorms were purchased with donations from the SLCS Foundation and First Business Bank, and the printing press was purchased with SCLS funds. The scanning and stop motion/video editing kits were purchased with an LSTA Technology Grant, which was made available to the Department of Public Instruction’s Division for Libraries and Technology through funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Service (IMLS).
You can still register for ‘Trustee Training Week’ webinars
A series of webinars during the week of Aug. 17-21 are designed to give trustees tools that will make their jobs easier, and it’s not too late to register to attend.
Sponsored by the Nicolet Federated Library System, with financial support from 15 of the 17 Wisconsin Public Library Systems, the event is called “Wisconsin Trustee Training Week” and will feature five webinars (at noon Monday-Friday) with different topics and speakers.
Below are the names and dates of each webinar. You must register for each presentation you want to attend, so visit http://www.wistrusteetraining.com and get started. Each presentation will run about 60 minutes. Webinars will be recorded for future viewing.
- Making an Artful Ask -- Monday, Aug. 17, presented by Marcy Heim, Founder and Principal, The Artful Asker, LLC, Madison
- Starting or Revitalizing a Friends Group -- Tuesday, Aug. 18, presented by Sally Gardner Reed, Executive Director, United for Libraries, Bryn Mawr, PA
- A New Vision: Why Wisconsin Needs Libraries More Than Ever -- Wednesday, Aug. 19, presented by Valerie Gross, President and CEO, Howard County Library System, Columbia, MD
- Library Evaluations: Community Involvement, On-going Improvement, Results -- Thursday, Aug. 20, presented by Gail Santy, Outreach Services Consultant, Central Kansas Library System, Great Bend, KS
- Wisconsin Trustees: You Ask, We’ll Answer -- Friday, Aug. 21, Panelists: Mark Arend, Assistant Director, Winnefox Library System; Krista Ross, Director, Southwest Library System; and John Thompson, Director, Indianhead Federated Library System. Whether you are a seasoned library trustee or a newcomer, this is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and be part of a worthwhile discussion. If you want to submit a question ahead of time, go to http://www.wistrusteetraining.com/ask-the-panel.html.
New content in LearningExpress Library
New ebooks, practice tests, and courses have been added to LearningExpress Library, which provides skill building and test preparation materials!
- New Practice Tests -- Eight complete MCAT practice tests are now available in the College Center to help students prepare for the new MCAT 2015 test.
- New eBooks -- We’ve added a new series that focuses on workplace skills. It includes Mastering Workplace Skills: Math Fundamentals, Mastering Workplace Skills: Grammar Fundamentals, and Mastering Workplace Skills: Writing Fundamentals. There are also new GED test preparation eBooks in English and Spanish, a new edition of California Police Officer Exam, and a new “501” eBook—501 Questions to Master Everyday Grammar and Writing.
- New Common Core Resources -- Thirteen new practice tests and a new tutorial are the latest additions to the Common Core State Standards resources. They feature technology-enhanced item types and interactivity, and are completely aligned to the Common Core State Standards.
- Coming Soon -- New and revised resources will be added for the PCAT, PSAT/NMSQT, AP, ACT, and the new 2016 SAT test.
Start learning now at http://badgerlink.net/learningexpress-library.
--by Kara Ripley, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning,
and reprinted from Wisconsin Libraries for Everyone.