Index
- SCLS offers to ‘Short Takes for Trustees’
- SCLS has online resources to help with hiring
- Member/Staff News
- Islam and Inclusion resource list
- iSchool at UW-Madison announces online professional development courses
- Partnership Incentive Award: Libraries and free driving tests
- Continuing Education Calendar
SCLS offers to ‘Short Takes for Trustees’
In an effort to provide training support for member library trustees, the South Central Library System (SCLS) recently subscribed to a new online video resource called “Short Takes for Trustees.”
This resource is produced by United for Libraries, which is the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations of the American Library Association.
“Short Takes for Trustees” is a series of 10 short videos (8-10 minutes each) that can be shown during trustee meetings to stimulate discussion about the important role that trustees play in the governance of their libraries.
Utilizing an interview format, United for Libraries Executive Director Sally Gardner Reed covers topics in the series such as what it means to be a trustee, as well as how to set policy, how to evaluate the library director and board self-evaluation, and the ethical and parliamentary standards for boards. Videos can be shown during meetings, or individual trustees can log in on their own and watch the videos. Users will enter a name, email address, library name, and state before viewing the videos.
Library directors already have the required login information, so trustees interested in watching videos on their own should contact their director.
Topics for videos are: What it Means to be a Trustee, Board Meetings, Board Ethics, Library Advocacy, Library Policies, Strategic Planning, Working with Friends, Evaluating the Library Director, Board Self Evaluation, and Succession Planning and New Board Orientation.
This resource is being provided through Continuing Education funds from the South Central Library System. We have purchased a one-year subscription that can be used by trustees at all SCLS member libraries, as well as by members of the SCLS Board of Trustees.
More information about this and other SCLS continuing education opportunities is available from Jean Anderson, SCLS Continuing Education Consultant.
SCLS has online resources to help with hiring
A page on the SCLS website was created in late 2016 to help libraries manage the often difficult tasks of writing and updating position descriptions, a process that is outlined on this page. There are also links to resources to help with drafting position descriptions.
The page includes tabs at the top that provide links to resources to help libraries plan and conduct recruitment for existing and new positions, links to sample position descriptions from many libraries within the South Central Library System, examples of library interview questions, and information about where to advertise library openings.
You can access this new resource directly at www.scls.info/management/jobs/.
This is a work in progress, so we’re interested in your ideas for other content. Also, if your library has position descriptions or interview questions you’d like included, contact Mark Ibach.
Lester Public Library of Arpin recently hosted a traveling exhibit that might be of interest to other libraries. Called My War: Wartime Photography by Vietnam Veterans, the display was created by The Highground Veterans Memorial Park in Neilsville, WI, and Marissa Roth, an internationally published freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer. Together they gathered photographs from 22 Vietnam Veterans, all of whom are from Wisconsin. The photographs in this exhibit provide visual images of the people, places, and day-to-day activities of these soldiers as they wait for the end of their tours of duty. The My War Traveling Exhibit is available in three formats: the original full version with 63 black frames containing 72 photographs, poems and introduction panel requiring 115 linear feet, the 1/2 size with 22 8”x10” framed prints, poems, and introduction panel, and the 1/3 size with 12 8”x10” framed prints with poems and intro panel. Catalogs may be purchased with the exhibit or separately. For more information and to book this exhibit, contact June Berg, The Highground Learning Center Coordinator, at (715) 743-4224.
Islam and Inclusion resource list
Mark Jochem, a practicum student working with the Consultant Team at the South Central Library System, has created an Islam and Inclusion resource list.
This resource list, which is available on the SCLS Programming Resources page, contains websites, publications, videos, and books useful for creating awareness about Islam and Muslim Americans.
The links and LinkCat holdings are active and current as of Feb. 16, 2017. Contact Shawn Brommer if you are interested in other topical resource lists.
iSchool at UW-Madison announces online professional development courses
The iSchool at UW-Madison (SLIS) recently announced a series of free Spring 2017 webinars that are available to everyone. Register two weeks before your class begins to receive the automatic 10 percent early bird discount. Classes are open to all!
Online courses include:
- Event Planning in Libraries -- March 6-31
- Online Searching at the Reference Desk -- March 13-April 21
- NEW! Introduction to Metadata -- March 20-May 8
- NEW! Media Mentorship -- March 27-April 29
- Spring 2017 Conference in Madison
- Power Up Conference for Youth Services Managers & Staff -- March 30-31
For more information, contact Anna Palmer at (608) 263-4452.
Partnership Incentive Award: Libraries and free driving tests
Does your library offer free driving tests (car, motorcycle, and commercial) to your patrons?
If not, then you probably haven't heard about an awesome partnership between libraries and Elegant E-Learning.
Elegant E-Learning offers a free online driver's education to libraries and their patrons. It is also ad-free and very easy to setup, with a special URL with your library's name. They do not keep information and there is no authentication needed. Best of all, these driving tests not only help teens and new drivers with preparing for their first driver's license, but they also provide tests for motorcycles and commercial vehicles. So many patrons can benefit from this!
And, from now until May 1, 2017, every library that signs up will automatically be added into a $500 drawing. Five lucky libraries (public, school, and academic) will be selected.
Read more at the 5MinLibrarian.