Index
- Marketing Plan Workshop & Mini-Grant Opportunity
- Hutchinson Memorial Library Seeks New Director
- Fall Webinar Series on Staff Empowerment
- Wisconsin Humanities Announces 2nd Round of Recovery Grants
- East Asia in Wisconsin Accepting Grant Applications Through Oct. 1
- News From StarNet
- Continuing Education Calendar
Marketing Plan Workshop & Mini-Grant Opportunity
If your library would like to create and implement a marketing plan, or if you have a service, product, or collection you want to promote, there is a competitive, statewide mini-grant opportunity now available! Any public library in Wisconsin is eligible to submit a mini-grant proposal to develop and implement a marketing plan for their library. The libraries selected will be awarded $1,000 toward their plan.
The project should be tied to identified needs that your library can implement in the short-term. Libraries of all sizes are encouraged to apply.
To ensure the success of each marketing plan, grant applications must be submitted by Oct. 6, and recipients will be required to attend an online workshop on Nov. 12, led by national library marketing experts Kathy Dempsey and Angela Hursh. In addition, grant recipients will receive individual consultations in early 2022 with Kathy Dempsey and will be assigned a system marketing cohort member as a resource throughout the process.
Workshop Details
- 9:30-11:30 a.m. Creating a Library Marketing Plan—Marketing Maven Kathy Dempsey will walk through her “Cycle of True Marketing” and cover the detailed sections in creating a library marketing plan. She will discuss first steps of the plan, audiences to target, how to create a plan budget, and more.
- 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Lunch Break
- 12-12:30 p.m. Mini-Grant Process—Libraries selected as mini-grant recipients are invited to hear more about the grant process, deadlines, processes for reimbursement and support in developing their marketing plans.
- 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thoughts, Tips and Questions with Angela Hursh, Senior Engagement Consultant, NoveList—Author of the blog, SuperLibraryMarketing.com, and host of the YouTube series, The Library Marketing Show, Angela Hursh will share thoughts, tips and things to consider as libraries work on their marketing plans. She will also cover best practices for barriers and challenges.
- Objectives:
- Discover the importance of a library marketing plan and why it can save the library time and money.
- Create a marketing plan calendar and budget.
- Learn how to deal with barriers and challenges in developing a marketing plan.
- Find inspiration and gain confidence to put your marketing plans into motion.
Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to book The Accidental Library Marketer and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to gain respect and funding. Kathy has been the Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter for 27 years, and was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Computers in Libraries magazine. She was Founding Chair of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference in 2015.
Angela Hursh helps libraries create effective and engaging ways to market their library, both at her job with NoveList and as author of the blog SuperLibraryMarketing.com and host of the YouTube series The Library Marketing Show. Before her job at NoveList, she led the content marketing team for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. She also has nearly 20 years’ experience as an Emmy-award winning broadcast TV journalist.
More information about the project, including links to the grant application form and webinar registration, are available at https://library-marketing.owlswp.org.
Hutchinson Memorial Library Seeks New Director
The Hutchinson Memorial Library in Randolph seeks a creative, compassionate, and organized leader for the position of Library Director.
The Hutchinson Memorial Library serves patrons in both Columbia and Dodge Counties from a beautiful, updated historic building. The library boasts a meeting room, a community room, and a full kitchen for programs and public use.
The Library Director is responsible for all library operations under the guidance of the library board of trustees. Duties for this position include developing and managing a yearly budget, supervising the work of the library, creating and implementing policies, procedures, and long-term goals, and serving the needs of the community through collection development and innovative programming.
Qualified candidates require a Bachelor’s degree and must be eligible for Wisconsin Grade III Library Director Certification (12 credits of coursework that may be completed after hire). The ideal candidate shall possess excellent interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively with library staff, the board of trustees, and the Village of Randolph.
This is a full-time position offering health and dental insurance, participation in Wisconsin retirement, paid vacation and sick leave, and paid holidays. Starting pay rate is $16-18 per hour based on education and experience.
Resume and cover letter may be sent 228 N. High St. Randolph, WI 53956. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Fall Webinar Series on Staff Empowerment
More than ever, library staff need access to tools and resources to feel empowered while at work. Wisconsin Valley Library Service, Northern Waters Library Service, and the Southwest Wisconsin Library System recently announced a Fall Webinar Series focusing on Staff Empowerment. The webinars occur on three consecutive Wednesdays (Sept. 22 & 29 and Oct. 6) at 1 p.m. They will be recorded and are worth one contact hour for library certification.
- Compassion Resilience and Anxiety Management During Tough Times—Sept. 22 at 1 p.m., presented by David M. Jacobi, PhD, Clinical Director, Rogers Behavioral Health, and Hanna Maechtle, InHealth Training Specialist, Rogers Behavioral Health (register)—The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent events of 2020-21 have brought new and unprecedented levels of uncertainty and stress to our personal and professional lives, and to those we serve. Uncertainty can cause stress, worry, and anxiety. A staff member experiencing chronic stress will struggle to care for themselves, let alone people who count on them for help. To better serve their patrons, it is more important than ever for library staff to prioritize their personal and emotional health. This webinar will explore how library staff can help stay resilient.
- Objectives:
- Examine Compassion Resilience techniques and learn how to implement
- Explore ways to treat anxiety when it has reached its peak
- Recognize differences between “quick fixes” and long-term solutions in mental health
- Hiring in 2021 and Beyond—Sept. 29 at 1 p.m., presented by Rachel Arndt, Consultant, RAC (register)—By some estimates, 1 in 4 workers are planning to look for new employment once the threat of the pandemic has subsided. What impact might this have on the library profession? How might interview and hiring methods change? More specifically, what should library managers be asking potential candidates? This webinar will explore how to update job descriptions, edit interview questions, take interview notes, select an employee, and explain why there isn’t a “perfect” library candidate.
- Objectives:
- Learn how to write a library job description
- Learn how to evaluate applications and select candidates to interview
- Review best practices for preparing for and conducting interviews
- Learn how to do reference checks
- Objectives:
- Best Practices in Volunteer Management—Oct. 6 at 1 p.m., presented by Maggie Rose, PR and Marketing Associate, Barberton Public Library (register)—Have you found yourself coordinating the efforts of unpaid library volunteers? Would you like to start using volunteers to help provide services in your library? Can you “fire” a volunteer? Many libraries would be unable to provide such excellent services to the public without volunteers. Working with volunteers can be tricky, though. What are the best ways to communicate with them? What if they aren’t a good fit for your organization? How can you recruit them? Learn some tips and best practices in this webinar.
- Objectives:
- Learn how to establish a library volunteer recruitment and onboarding program
- Learn effective communication tips to use with volunteers
- Identify library services that can be enhanced by volunteer work
- Explore ways to treat library volunteers with respect and gratitude
- Objectives:
Questions about the series should be directed to Jamie Matczak at [email protected]. See more posts on the WI Libraries for Everyone page.
Wisconsin Humanities Announces 2nd Round of Recovery Grants
An additional $340,000 is available in the 2nd round of Wisconsin Humanities Recovery Grants and matching funds are not required. An informational webinar about the Humanities Recovery Grants will be presented on Sept. 21, 2021 and the grant deadline is Oct. 15, 2021. See the WI Humanities webpage for more information about this grant.
Across Wisconsin, 52 historical societies, museums, libraries, and other nonprofits were awarded Wisconsin Humanities Recovery Grant funds to help our state prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the pandemic. The awards represent the first round of funds provided to Wisconsin Humanities by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“We received 114 applications expressing more than $1.6 million in need.” said Dena Wortzel, Executive Director of Wisconsin Humanities. “We weighed factors including need, location, the strength of their public humanities work, the audience that organizations serve, and how they would use these funds to help them address the impacts of the pandemic.”
These funds will help organizations with everything from salary support and utility bills to improving access through digitization of collections and programming. “We saw so much need,” Wortzel said. “We hope these funds can help these Wisconsin nonprofits that provide cultural programming remain resilient as we try to emerge from the pandemic.”
Please contact Shawn Brommer at 608-246-7974 if you have questions about this grant or potential project ideas."
East Asia in Wisconsin Accepting Grant Applications Through Oct. 1
Last summer, the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated that the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) shift its focus to finding innovative ways to fulfill its core mission of increasing the understanding of East Asia in Wisconsin.
One result was launching the East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program. Offering grants of up to $1,000 per library, the program encouraged Wisconsin libraries to augment their collections with East Asia-related materials, and to design new book clubs and other programs with an East Asian theme. More than 38 libraries in 14 different library systems throughout Wisconsin received grants as a result of this program.
CEAS is delighted to announce the program is back for the 2021-2022 academic year and is now accepting applications. Full details, ideas for materials and programming, and a link to the application can be found at https://eastasia.wisc.edu/eainwisconsin.
Last year librarians proposed a wide variety of programming: from children’s book kits focused on origami and the Lunar New Year, to adult book discussions about recent East Asian fiction, to new film collections of South Korean hits, to revamping the cookbook stacks to celebrate the food cultures of East Asia.
“The East Asia in Wisconsin Libraries grant program is about more than putting books on shelves,” said Cindy Fesemyer, the Library Adult and Community Services Consultant for the Department of Public Instruction. “It’s about opening the world to Wisconsin communities through innovative library programming and the availability of current materials in collections.”
The Waupaca Area Public Library used its grant to host a children’s kite event with an East Asian theme, hold exhibits with East Asian artwork, and add an East Asian title to an existing adult book club.
Other participating libraries reported that the grant “helped us boost our collection with fresh books,” “add(ed) diverse books to every collection in the library,” and allowed the opportunity for “book club studies of East Asia youth fiction that are really part of the diverse #ownvoices movement. It is a great asset to our patrons, especially our school district.”
CEAS once again partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Library Association, and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center to plan and promote this program.
The East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program is partially funded by a Title VI grant from the US Department of Education.
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From Our Town to Moon, Mars and Beyond Exhibit Application Webinar—The Space Science Institute is pleased to announce a new exhibit opportunity for public libraries. 'From Our Town to Moon, Mars and Beyond' will launch in March 2022, traveling to eight libraries across the country. All public and tribal libraries are welcome to apply. Please register for a pre-application webinar to learn more about this opportunity, ask questions, and meet the project team. The application will open on Sept. 15 and be due Nov. 15. (register)
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Come Look Up! With STAR Net!—STAR Net’s Look Up: Explore Our Universe campaign is a celebration of the James Webb Space Telescope mission! Set to launch between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30, StarNet is teaming up with the American Library Association, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Education Development Center, NASA’s Universe of Learning program, and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to bring you everything launch related!
Public libraries across the U.S. and beyond are invited to participate in this year-long campaign and take advantage of the many resources available on the campaign website. Resources include STAR Net’s STEM Activity Clearinghouse activities, videos, images, a media toolkit, live streaming events, connection to subject matter experts, and more! (more information)