Index
- SCLS Reads -- Rising to the Challenge: Re-Envisioning Public Libraries
- Rome, Randolph to join LINKcat
- Member/Staff News
- Library Legislative Day registration now available
- Three SCLS libraries named LJ Star Libraries
- From AL Direct
- Continuing Education Calendar
SCLS Reads -- Rising to the Challenge: Re-Envisioning Public Libraries
Also known as The Aspen Report, Rising to the Challenge: Re-envisioning Public Libraries was published in the fall of 2014 and was talked about in various blogs and was suggested reading for the November 2014 All Directors meeting. If you’re anything like me, you had the best of intentions about reading this report (and all the other library related reports). I finally read the report in August of 2015 when the SCLS Consultants held our first Book Club with this as our choice. The two hour discussion we had that day leads directly to the SCLS Reads.
Kicked off last week and continuing for the next four months, we’re going to read Rising to the Challenge together. I’ll post monthly here on the Know More blog with the next “assignment,” some questions to think about, and a related library story or two. Please feel free to comment on the blog post with questions or additional stories. Or, for those of you who are on Facebook, I’m considering starting a SCLS Reads group so we can start an online discussion. Completely optional and up to you - we could have a public group (like the WLA Reads from a couple weeks ago). Fill out this one question form to let me know.
At the March 17, 2016 All Directors Meeting, we’ll have an in-person discussion* of Rising to the Challenge. The book is available for free as a PDF download here and, thanks to Michael Spelman from Madison Public Library, I have two copies in the Professional Collection that you can borrow.
If you’ve already read Rising to the Challenge, join in the discussion online and in-person. I’ll be re-reading it along with everyone over the next few months. In addition, there is an Action Guide for Re-Envisioning Your Public Library that is currently in pilot testing (our own Columbus Public Library is one of the testing libraries). When the final version is out, we’ll share that with you, too.
For the first assignment, we’ll read the Foreword, the Executive Summary, and the first chapter -- through page 6.
If you have suggestions, questions, or stories to share, please let Jean know.
--from Jean Anderson, SCLS Continuing Education Consultant
Rome, Randolph to join LINKcat
On Dec. 1, 2015, the Lester Public Library of Rome and the Hutchinson Memorial Library of Randolph will go live on LINKcat.
Rome has been manually linking their items and adding patron records. On Dec. 1, their items will be changed from “Unavailable” to “Available” and they will begin circulating on Koha and filling Pick Lists to loan items to other SCLS libraries.
Randolph is having their data migrated from their current system to LINKcat. This process will begin on the evening of Nov. 24 and continue through Nov. 30. The library will be cut over to the SCLS network on Monday, Nov. 30. They will begin circulating on Koha and filling Pick Lists to loan items to other SCLS libraries on Dec. 1. The Delivery code for Rome is ROM, and the Delivery code for Randolph is RAN.
Please join us in welcoming both libraries to LINKcat!
--by Vicki Teal Lovely, Technology Services Coordinator
To my dear friends and hard working colleagues. The time is fast approaching for me to retire from my fabulous career as a professional librarian. I need to find my compass and hit the trail. Adventure is out there! My last day as director of the lovely Oregon Public Library will be Jan. 6, 2016. Thank you and best wishes.
--from Susan Santner, Director, Oregon Public Library
Three SCLS libraries named LJ Star Libraries
Four Wisconsin libraries have been named 2015 Library Journal Star Libraries, three of which are from within the South Central Library System. The Star Library Index compares libraries against their spending peers on four measures: circulation, library visits, program attendance, and public Internet computer use.
This year’s honorees are: Madison Public Library ($10 million to $30 million in expenditures) with a score of 879; North Freedom Public Library ($10,000-$50,000 in expenditures) with a score of 2,279; and Lettie W. Jensen Public Library in Amherst ($10,000 to $50,000 in expenditures) with a score of 1,642.
The other Wisconsin library honored this year is LaCrosse Public Library. More information about the 2015 Star Library Index is available on the Library Journal website.
Library Legislative Day registration now available
Library Legislative Day (LLD) 2016, sponsored by the Wisconsin Library Association, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, at the Madison Concourse Hotel, and registration is now open! You won’t want to miss this one.
When you register, you’ll notice three events on the registration form, so please check all those you plan to attend.
- Monday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m., Madison Central Library, 201 West Mifflin Street, Room 301 (third floor). (Free; need not register for LLD to attend)
- Portrait of a Legislative Success Story: The Development and Passage of Public Library System Legislation in Wisconsin,” presented by Charles Bunge, Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison School of Library and Information Studies (and WI Library Hall of Fame member).
- Sharing personal anecdotes from his vast mental storehouse, Charles will relive this momentous period of Wisconsin library history and identify its elements of success.
- Time will be provided for socializing
- Tuesday, Feb. 9, 7:30 a.m., registration, continental breakfast and Briefing Session at the Madison Concourse Hotel ($20 registration fee)
- Guest legislators
- WLA State Legislative Agenda and talking points will be distributed and discussed
- The morning after: tips for sustaining constituent activity all year ‘round
- Then off to appointments with legislators (scheduled for you by the Library Legislative Day Committee)
- Tuesday, Feb. 9, 12-1 p.m., A Special Capitol Rotunda Program Celebrating 125 years of the Wisconsin Library Association! (Free; need not register for LLD to attend)
- Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch will deliver the keynote address
- Special presenter: Tony Evers, State Superintendent, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
- Other legislative speakers to be announced soon
- Then off to remaining scheduled visits with legislators
Take a few minutes to register today, and help make this one of the best Library Legislative Day gatherings ever.
- Coloring book clubs cross the line into libraries -- Alison Marcotte writes: “Woods Hole (Mass.) Public Library is one of many libraries taking part in the adult coloring book trend, welcoming the activity for its social, mental health, and creative benefits. The adult coloring books craze was aided by Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford’s 2013 Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book, an Amazon bestseller that has sold more than 6 million copies. Other US libraries are launching adult coloring book clubs.”… Read more in American Libraries.
- 50 super smart books for everyone on your list -- Caitlin Schneider writes: “There’s nothing quite as surefire as the gift of a good book, but weeding through the many titles on bookstore shelves and in online stores can be overwhelming. Fear not, holiday shopper. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite books in a mix of all-time bests and recent standouts. There’s something for every reader, and we wouldn’t blame you if you ended up with a few in the cart for yourself too.”... Read more on the mental_floss website.