Index
- Patricia Townsend named 2015 ‘Cornerstone Award’ recipient
- Register now for Sept. 11 Social Services Symposium
- Nominate your library for SCLS Foundation awards
- Member/Staff News
- Apply now for ALSC Curiosity Creates grant
- Help choose the next Big Library Read title
- Continuing Education Calendar
Patricia Townsend named 2015 ‘Cornerstone Award’ recipient
After a busy professional life in nursing, Pat Townsend retired to Adams County in 1979 and began her involvement with public libraries. On Nov. 19, 2015, she will be recognized for her countless efforts as the recipient of the South Central Library System (SCLS) Foundation Cornerstone Award. You can make a contribution to honor Pat at www.sclsfoundation.org.
“This year marks the seventh award to honor an individual who has made significant contributions to the improvement of library service in their own communities, throughout the South Central Library System, and statewide,” said Cindy Fesemyer, foundation board president and director of the Columbus Public Library. “Pat is an excellent choice because of her selfless service since 1979.”
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 5-7 p.m. at 205 Vino, 205 De Witt Street in Portage.
“Libraries have always been a part of my life, so naturally I became a patron when I moved to Adams County in 1979,” Pat said. “One of the first tings I did was help develop a “Friends of the Library” group that sponsored the first “Chocolate Affair” fundraiser.” That fundraiser continues today, and Pat said the Adams County Public Library Friends also promotes classic film shows, children’s programming, and many other events as needed. The group has also sponsored art shows of local artists and other local presentations of music and art.
After years of involvement, Pat said she was asked to serve on the community committee assigned to plan a new community center that would include a new library, senior center and space for UW-Extension. “It was so exciting because the new library would more than double the space of the previous building,” Pat said.
Pat continues to serve on the Adams County Library Board, a position she said she hopes to fill for many more years to come. She has also served as a member of the South Central Library System Board of Trustees, and continues to participate when needed.
According to Fesemyer, the seventh annual Cornerstone Award Reception continues a fundraising tradition that has raised more than $70,000 for the foundation in six years.
Again this year, the SCLS Foundation will resent three awards to recognize the amazing work public libraries do every day while serving their communities. You can make nominations by clicking on the links in the awards article below. The awards are:
- Super Awesome Library Award
- Program Wizard Award
- Giddy Up Partner Award
“The annual Cornerstone Award fundraising reception is an excellent opportunity to shine the spotlight on someone who has given so much of herself to public libraries,” Fesemyer 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.” This year the Foundation made $5,000 available to purchase ebook titles for Wisconsin’s Digital Library (OverDrive collection), thereby reducing library costs, and about $3,900 for the purchase of 10 Lego Mindstorms robot kits.
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. Space is limited, so register today.
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 A Primer on Rural Poverty in Wisconsin with Dr. Katherine Curtis and Dr. Leann Tigges, Department of Community and Environmental Sociology, UW Madison -- Many people in rural Wisconsin struggle with low incomes and insufficient employment. This session will provide information about poverty trends and dimensions, and explore the implications of living with economic insecurity. Data will focus explicitly on rural areas, especially the South Central region, and the discussion will explore stereotypes of the poor as well as the complexities of life for the low income population.
- 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.
Nominate your library for SCLS Foundation awards
Public libraries are unique local institutions, touching the lives of residents in untold ways. In recognition of the unique role libraries play, the South Central Library System (SCLS) Foundation will again present three library awards as part of the 2015 Cornerstone Award fundraising reception on Nov. 19 in Portage.
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. To make an online nomination, click on the award name below. 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.
Sometimes a person’s job is so quietly vital to a community, you might just miss it. Such is the case with 16-year veteran librarian Mary Driscoll, who heads up the book delivery service for Dane County, Wisconsin. She makes sure that the shelves are well stocked for the area’s senior citizens. Read more in the Washington Post.
Apply now for ALSC Curiosity Creates grant
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) recently announced the availability of a new grant to help fund creativity programming in public libraries. Your library could be one of 77 recipients of a $7,500 grant to encourage creativity for children ages 6-14. The grants may be used to expand existing programming and/or create new opportunities for children to explore their creativity.
Applicants must be public libraries, but individual branches within a library system are welcome to apply separately. Publicly funded community-based local library systems and branches in the United States are eligible to apply.
Grantees may be invited to participate in the development of a best practices publication for creativity programing in libraries. Selected grantees will be expected to participate in interviews and/or site visits by a consultant who will be developing this publication.
Projects should be for the development and implementation of a program or series of programs to serve children ages 6 to 14. Projects should also focus on one or more of the following seven critical components of creativity:
- Imagination & Originality
- Flexibility
- Decision- Making
- Communication & Self-Expression
- Collaboration
- Motivation
- Action & Movement
Selection Criteria Includes:
- Creativity components addressed
- Program reach (including diversity, inclusion and community partnerships)
- Project design and replicability
To apply for one of the grants, visit the Curiosity Creates website.
Help choose the next Big Library Read title
The next Big Library Read is coming this October and OverDrive wants your help in selecting the title the whole world will be reading! The genre this time around will be Juvenile/Young Adult and our publishing partners have provided a number of great titles to choose from. Now that we have the submissions from the publishers we want you to tell us which title we’ll all be reading!
To vote simply go to the survey and pick which title you’re most interested in reading. Voting will be live until Aug. 24 at which point we will reveal the winning selection! Let your voice be heard and help decide the next Big Library Read title!