Index
- MPL Foundation donation expands OverDrive Advantage collection
- Macmillan discontinues embargo period for eBook purchases
- Marketing plan template now available
- Member/Staff News
- Professional development opportunities in the time of COVID-19
- Free DPLA resources come in handy during pandemic
- Retiring American FactFinder: What’s coming to data.census.gov?
- Continuing Education Calendar
MPL Foundation donation expands OverDrive Advantage collection
During the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting closure of public libraries across the South Central Library System, efforts are underway to expand the number of OverDrive resources available to residents.
The Madison Public Library Foundation generously donated $50,000 to purchase additional OverDrive titles for the SCLS Shared Advantage program. These are titles in addition to the statewide OverDrive collection, and these additional titles are only available to residents within the South Central Library System counties of Adams, Columbia, Dane, Green, Portage, Sauk and Wood.
The South Central Library System (SCLS) is contributing an additional $10,000 from its General Contingency fund to enhance this resource. "OverDrive is an excellent way for libraries to continue serving customers during this worldwide health crisis," said SCLS Director Martha Van Pelt. "We are thrilled with the donation from the Madison Public Library Foundation, and we are pleased to be able to contribute from our General Contingency Fund in support of our member libraries."
During the March 19 All Directors meeting, members also agreed to dedicate a larger portion of the $76,036 allotted for South Central In Demand (SCID) items purchased through Madison Public Library. Thus far in 2020 $6,000 of this total has been used to purchase additional OverDrive Advantage titles, but the Administrative Council was given the green light to devote an even larger portion of the fund to purchase additional OverDrive Advantage titles.
Individual member libraries also can add money from their budgets to the shared OverDrive Advantage account. To do that, just email Kerrie Goeden with the information and amount. Because of how OverDrive purchasing works, additional content can be added very quickly once the commitment of money is made.
The SCLS homepage and the SCLS Foundation homepage will soon have links for individual donations to expand Advantage resources, or you can donate directly. When completing the PayPal donation form (after clicking on “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card”), donors should specify in the “Names” field below their donation amount that the online donation is for Advantage.
Macmillan discontinues embargo period for eBook purchases
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic and library closures, Macmillan Publishers has announced that it will discontinue its embargo period, which had prohibited libraries from purchasing eBook licenses for newly published titles for eight weeks.
“This is a significant announcement,” said Jaime Healy-Plotkin, President of the South Central Library System Board of Trustees. “Access to a robust collection of online eBooks and audiobooks is critical during this pandemic, and we are pleased that Macmillan Publishers has reversed course to increase access to its titles.”
In a short letter addressed to “librarians, authors, illustrators, and agents” on March 17, Macmillan CEO John Sargent suggested that the publisher’s decision was partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on libraries -- many of which have been forced to close and emphasize resources accessible offsite, such as eBooks and streaming media.
“There are times in life when differences should be put aside,” Sargent wrote. “Effective on Friday [March 20]…Macmillan will return to the library eBook pricing model that was in effect on Oct. 31, 2019.” In addition, Sargent said Macmillan will be lowering some eBook prices on a short-term basis to help expand libraries’ collections in these difficult times.
All eBook licenses from Macmillan will now be available to purchase starting on publication date, beginning Friday, March 20, or as soon as wholesalers can accommodate the change.
Macmillan began enforcing the embargo on Nov. 1 last year in an attempt to channel library borrowers toward retail eBook sales during the weeks following a book’s launch, which Sargent explained during a Q&A session at the 2020 American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia this January.
He also acknowledged that the embargo had been costly for Macmillan, and indicated at that time that the publisher would be willing to explore different licensing and pricing models that could eliminate the embargo for libraries.
“Equitable access to digital content is more important than ever as libraries continue to serve their communities amid rapidly changing circumstances,” said ALA Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Alan Inouye. “Macmillan’s return to its original lending terms signals a new starting point for all publishers to consider how they can work with libraries to ensure -- and expand -- access for all readers. ALA looks forward to working with publishers to make that happen.”
Marketing plan template now available
Based on Kathy Dempsey’s “Cycle of True Marketing,” a state-wide public library system marketing cohort has drafted a marketing plan template that any library of any size can model and adapt. The template includes:
- A customizable marketing framework that can be adapted to suit a library’s unique needs and community
- A sample marketing plan, budget, and calendar guides
- Links to resources that expand on the information presented
For more information watch the webinar introducing the marketing plan template, or you can contact Mark Ibach at 608-246-5612.
Produced in the studios of the Sun Prairie Media Center, "Books and Cooks" is a series of short book talks about new cookbooks. Sun Prairie Library staff and friends are featured testing the recipes. The show, which currently features eight episodes, is hosted by library director Svetha Hetzler.
Professional development opportunities in the time of COVID-19
Looking for a little direction as you work from home? What a great time to engage in virtual professional development activities.
System and State Continuing Education Coordinators are always working hard to bring you fresh content on a wide variety of subjects pertinent to our profession. An article in WI Libraries for Everyone is a point of entry for professional development opportunities on many different subjects. Check it out!
Free DPLA resources come in handy during pandemic
People across the state and nation are practicing social distancing and doing their best to flatten the curve, while also juggling all sorts of new challenges that have come along with the spread of COVID-19.
Here is a highlight of some of the ways that free Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) resources may come in handy during this unsettling time.
For Everyone
- With many libraries closed, this is a great time to check out the free SimplyE app, available for iOS and Android. Access more than 5,000 eBook titles -- from the classics to contemporary fantasy and sci-fi -- ALL FOR FREE -- by choosing DPLA as your library and tapping on the DPLA Collection. No sign in or library card required!
For Teachers
- Primary Source Sets: The collection of free primary source sets cover a wide range of topics from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women to Negro League Baseball to Angel Island. All include a curated set of primary sources, lesson plans, discussion questions and tips for primary source analysis.
- DPLA Search: Use the search to access more than 36 million images, texts, videos and sounds from our 4,000+ partner institutions across the country. The collection is useful for primary source research and analysis and research projects on almost any topic under the sun as well creating things like scavenger hunts and games for putting a little fun in e-learning.
- Open Ebooks: The Open Ebooks program provides thousands of free ebooks to Title 1 schools. Readers can immediately download some of the most popular works of the past and present, with no costs, no holds, and no late fees. Titles were selected by DPLA’s Curation Corps of school and youth librarians. Register your school today and start getting free ebooks.
For Students
- Online Exhibitions: The collection of online exhibitions can introduce students to more than two dozen topics ranging from the 1918 flu pandemic to Political Outsiders in US Presidential Elections to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
- National History Day: Are you researching a project for National History Day? Find out more about how DPLA resources around this year’s theme, Breaking Barriers in History, can help.
For Genealogists
- Family Research: DPLA has heard from some budding genealogists who are using their extra time at home to dig into their family history. This family research guide is an introduction to how to use DPLA’s records in your search.
In addition, here are some other online learning resources that the DPLA has found helpful:
- PBS Learning
- Library of Congress: Smart Fun for Kids
- Smithsonian Learning Resources
- The Kennedy Center: ArtsEdge
- NASA Stem Engagement
- National Women’s History Museum
Retiring American FactFinder: What’s coming to data.census.gov?
The U.S. Census Bureau has retired American FactFinder (AFF), its statistics and information search engine after 20 years. AFF will remain as an archive system for data and functionality that are not yet available in data.census.gov until March 30, 2020. After March 30 American FactFinder will be decommissioned and no longer available.
What is data.census.gov?
data.census.gov is the new platform to access data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The vision for data.census.gov is to improve the customer experience by making data available from one centralized place so that data users spend less time searching for data content and more time using it.
This vision stems from overwhelming feedback that the Census Bureau has received to simplify the way customers get data. The Census Bureau continues to work on the customer experience so that it is not necessary for data users to know Census Bureau jargon or perform a complicated search to find the data that they need.
You can read more about data.census.gov online. If you have additional questions about using data to support your library, contact Jody Hoesly, SCLS Data Services Consultant, at 608-246-7973.