Index
- Bookend: Tailor-Made Fundraising
- Desktop and start menu changes on public stations
- Nominations open for SCLS Foundation Awards
- Columbia County Resource Fair
- Member/Staff News
- Calling all techies! Share your knowledge at Tech Days East
- Um, excuse me? Weaponized PDFs?
- Upcoming BadgerLink outage May 31-June 3 & important access changes
- StarNet hosts live webcast of Apollo 11 moon landing
- Continuing Education Calendar
Bookend: Tailor-Made Fundraising
by Terra Dankowski, May 1, 2019, AmericanLibraries
Cambria, a Wisconsin village with a population north of 700, doesn’t have a dry cleaner -- but residents know if they need an item pressed, stitched, or altered, they can drop off their duds at Jane Morgan Memorial Library (JMML).
“Sandy’s willing to take a look at anything, from mending pants to replacing zippers to sewing buttons on a shirt or pants,” says Director Jennifer Tallman of Sandra Vardell (pictured in photo by Katie Hunt Photography), a former board member who volunteers one Saturday per month to tackle the town’s toughest tailoring.
JMML, at the suggestion of Vardell, started its garment care program in 2016 as a creative way to fundraise while filling a public need. “We have a really small, close-knit, rural community,” says Tallman, “and the sewing and the ironing was just one of the pieces we thought would be a nice addition for folks, rather than [them] having to drive some miles.”
Patrons are asked to donate what they think Vardell’s time and effort is worth, with most contributing $5–$20 per item. Tallman says the program, which runs on donated and borrowed equipment, has raised $400 and allowed JMML to purchase adult nonfiction titles it couldn’t otherwise afford.
Though Vardell is the sole seamster -- in three years, a fur coat is “the only item she hasn’t been able to fix,” says Tallman -- volunteers drive her to the library and staffers perform reference interviews for unloaded laundry. “We get as much detail as we can if they come on a day when Sandy is not here,” Tallman says. Patrons later pick up completed items at their convenience.
Thanks to word of mouth, JMML has seen an increase in sewing projects in the last six months. “The garment-care program has brought people into the library that didn’t know we existed,” says Tallman. “It stretches out those branches a little further to people you wouldn’t normally get.”
Desktop and start menu changes on public stations
On April 3 the Technology Committee decided to make some changes to Desktop and Start Menu on public stations. The Desktop has seen some minor changes over the years, but this is the first time the Technology Committee has discussed all of its contents at one time. The changes will affect Windows 10 public stations that allow full internet access. Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 public stations will not be reconfigured as they continue to be replaced by newer computers.
More information about scheduling these changes will come at a later date.
Changes to the Desktop
- Calculatorwill be added.
- Resources for Job Seekerswebsite shortcut will be added. This collection of resources for local job seekers is maintained by the Workforce Development Specialist at SCLS, Mark Jochem. The shortcut will be labeled “Job Resources.” The icon attached to the shortcut is still in development.
- Internet Explorerwill be removed. Internet Explorer will still be available on the computer but will only be accessible from the Start Menu. The committee decided that Internet Explorer is rarely used and should not be taking up space on the Desktop. That said, it is a good idea to keep it available from the Start Menu in case a certain website does not display properly with Chrome or Edge.
- Windows Media Playerwill be removed. VLC is the more versatile and popular media player. Windows Media Player will remain installed on the PCs, so that any file that requires it will still open.
- Computerwill be renamed to "This PC." "This PC" is the default name for this shortcut on Windows 10 PCs.
- My Documentswill be renamed to “Documents.”
- My Pictureswill be renamed to “Pictures.”
- My Videoswill be removed. This folder is rarely used. The "Videos" folder can still be accessed by opening “This PC” on the Desktop.
- My Musicwill be removed. This folder is rarely used. The "Music" folder can still be accessed by opening "This PC" on the Desktop.
- Google Earthwill be removed from the Desktop and uninstalled. The committee decided that this program is rarely used. Google Earth can still be loaded from the Chrome web browser.
New Start Menu
The Start Menu will be simplified to only include shortcuts to the web browsers and to the Microsoft Office programs. Other applications, like iTunes and VLC, will be removed from the Start Menu because frequent updates would break the shortcuts.
Keep up to date with this and other technology topics by reading the SCLSTechnologyNewsBlog.
Nominations open for SCLS Foundation Awards
The SCLS Foundation Board annually presents four awards to recognize the special efforts of public libraries, and in 2019 we continue the tradition. The nomination deadline for this year's awards is Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at 5 p.m.
These awards are presented at the Annual Cornerstone Award reception, which honors 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 South Central Library System Foundation. The 2019 Cornerstone Award recipient and receptionlocation have not yet been selected, but nominations are now open for the 2019 library awards.
The awards and descriptions are listed below, and the links will take you to the online nomination forms.
- Super Awesome Library Award -- For the library that was overall awesome in 2019. 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.
- Outstanding Library Volunteer Award -- This award recognizes that outstanding volunteer who is instrumental in making your library what it is. This new award is presented annually to an individual who through their contributions has had a significant impact on library service in a single community.
The Columbia County Resource Fair was held Monday, April 22,,at Portage Public Library. It was organized by Portage Public Library, Poynette Area Public Library, and South Central Library System.
The Resource Fair attracted families with young children, adults, and older adults. Many in attendance took the opportunity to visit several tables.
The inaugural Columbia County Resource Fair brought organizations from Columbia, Dane, and Sauk counties together to talk about their programs and services. Representatives shared information with attendees in the service areas of employment, training, community involvement, childcare, healthcare, and housing. The following 14 organizations participated:
- Columbia County Health and Human Services
- Aging & Disability Resource Center of Columbia County
- Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin - Walgreens Distribution Center Supported Job Training Program
- Worksmart Network
- 4-C (Community Coordinated Child Care, Inc)
- Forward Service Corporation
- Renewal Unlimited, Inc.
- Poynette Chamber of Commerce
- Portage Area Chamber of Commerce
- SCSEP (Senior Community Service Employment Program)
- UW Extension Columbia County 4-H
- Portage Public Library
- Poynette Area Public Library
- South Central Library System
If you have any questions about the Columbia County Resource Fair, or workforce development related topics, please contact Mark Jochem at 608-630-0270).
Wyocena Public Library has received a $1,000 grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation to purchase books about space for summer reading.
The May issue of WSLL @ Your Service is now online. Your comments are welcome, and should be directed to the editor, Carol Hassler. In this issue:Law Day at Our Libraries --Please join us for Law Day on May 1, 2019. The Wisconsin State Law Library is offering a free CLE-credit class on legislative history research and the Dane County Bar Association has many programs planned as well (read more); Spotlight on: Oxford English Dictionary -- Are you looking to expand your vocabulary and impress your friends? We have added an online subscription to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), which can be used at the David T. Prosser Jr. Library public computers. We also have it in print! (read more); New Books -- This month's featured titles are An Associate’s First Year: a Guide to Thriving at a Law Firm and Opening Statements: Winning in the Beginning by Winning the Beginning. Don't miss our full new book list for May (read more); Tech Tip -- How do I shrink this page? Where is the spell check button? If you are a casual user of Microsoft Word, the array of ribbons, toolbars and menus can be confusing. Use the Quick Access Toolbar for help your experience (read more); Library News -- Get conference and National Library Week updates, learn about upcoming classes for May, and more news from our libraries (read more): May Snapshot -- Spotted on the interstate on the way to Chicago, this American Writers Museum billboard highlighting Douglass’ timeless words ties into an exhibit they offered last year, Frederick Douglass AGITATOR (read more).
Calling all techies! Share your knowledge at Tech Days East
Do you have a tech tool that makes library work easier, a technology program or service that draws adults, teens or children into your doors, or apps you’ve found or created for library use? Please fill out this form to let us know what you’d like to share and show at Tech Days East this September!
All topics at the intersection of technology and libraries are welcome.
- Possibilities include, but are not limited to, gadgets, coding, apps, digitization, VR / AR, innovative tools, social media, privacy, makerspaces, Google services, STEM / STEAM, data visualization, e-resources, and teaching tech to patrons.
- Presentations might also focus on serving specific audiences such as preschoolers, tweens, teens, older adults, and people with varied abilities.
Each breakout session at Tech Days East is one hour, which you can fill with 45-60 minutes of content, or your presentation can be 15 or 30 minutes in length and it will be grouped with other topics. You may do a presentation by yourself or with a team. All presenters will receive a complimentary lunch and mileage reimbursement. Pick 1, 2, or all 3 dates and locations for your presentation:
- Tuesday, September 10 at Franklin Public Library (Milwaukee County)
- Wednesday, September 11 at Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton (Outagamie County)
- Thursday, September 12 at Monona Public Library (Dane County)
Take a moment to complete the Tech Days East presentation proposal form and let organizers know what you’d like to share. The deadline for sending submitting proposals is Friday, May 31, 2019.
There is no charge to attend the 2019 Tech Days East workshop series, thanks to sponsorship by the North Eastern Wisconsin (NEWI) library systems (Winnefox Library System, Outagamie-Waupaca Library System, Manitowoc-Calumet Library System, Nicolet Federated Library System), South Central Library System, the Southeastern Wisconsin (SEWI) library systems (Arrowhead Library System, Bridges Library System, Kenosha County Library System, Lakeshores Library System, Milwaukee County Federated Library System, Monarch Library System), and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Registration for both the Tech Days East and Tech Days West workshop series will open this summer, so save the date:
- September 10: Tech Days East at Franklin Public Library
- September 11: Tech Days East at Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve
- September 12: Tech Days East at Monona Public Library
- November 5: Tech Days West at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (WITC) in Rice Lake
- November 6: Tech Days West at Marathon County Public Library in Wausau
- November 7: Tech Days West location TBA
For more information contact Joy Schwarz, Winnefox Library System, at 920-236-5218.
Um, excuse me? Weaponized PDFs?
I was going to do a Tech Bits post about Carla Hayden's (Librarian of Congress!) proposal to digitize the Library of Congress (!!!) but I ran across this other article and thought "What?! Like with little guns and knives and stuff?"
American Libraries linked to an April 19, 2019 article on the Nextgov website that has the title "Report: Weaponized PDFs on the rise." (sounds like an excerpt from a Terminator movie, right?) But it is no fantasy my friends, just the next generation of malware, scamming and spamming.
So, in addition to reminding your patrons, staff and coworkers about suspicious emails, ads and hyperlinks you also need to warn them about weaponized PDFs.
Welcome to the 21st century.
--by Heidi Oliversen for TechBits
Upcoming BadgerLink outage May 31-June 3 & important access changes
The BadgerLink authentication provider, Auto-Graphics, will be upgrading their platform beginning at 7 p.m. May 31 through 7 a.m. June 3, 2019. During this time all BadgerLink resources will be unavailable, including the Super Search.
Effective June 3 all BadgerLink authenticated URLs will also change. Auto-Graphics will provide a redirect of the previous URLs for up to 6 months, but any library or school that places direct links to BadgerLink resources on a website, within a proxy, or another SSO application such as OpenAthens, will need to edit the URLs no later than early December 2019 in order to continue providing users access outside of the BadgerLink website. New URLs are listed in the BadgerLink Resource URLs spreadsheet.
Read more on the BadgerLink website.
StarNet hosts live webcast of Apollo 11 moon landing
Plan now to join a July 15 live webcast event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's historic moon landing!
What was the sequence of this incredible mission?
Where on the Moon did they land? And how did they return safely to Earth?
Join StarNet for a guided recreation of Apollo 11’s journey to see how this mission was executed by crew members and mission control in Houston.
This live webcast is brought to you by the American Museum of Natural History and the STAR Library Network’s NASA@ My Libraryprogram.
More information about this live event is available on the StarNet website, and there is a downloadable flyer to help promote the event at your library.