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February 2005 |
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February always seems to be a month of bits and pieces and this-es and that-s…………..it’s annual report time for everyone. I have piles of notes and reference sheets to track the information filed in the reports so that the reports will be useful to us all in the future and so that everyone’s report can be filed with DLTCL without further questions. So now that it’s time to prepare a newsletter column, it’s difficult to find a theme or a focus…so…I’ll just share some of the flotsam and jetsam that have accumulated ‘round and about the annual report files so far this month.
IT’S SAD ENOUGH TO MAKE THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT
OPEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION WEEP RIGHT OUT LOUD
"One in three U.S. high school students say
the press ought to be more restricted, and even more say the government should
approve newspaper stories before readers see them. The survey of 112,003
students finds that 36% believe newspapers should get ‘government approval’
of stories before publishing. Asked whether the press enjoys ‘too much
freedom, not enough or about the right amount’, 32% say ‘too much’ and 37%
say it has the ‘right amount.’ Ten percent say it has ‘too little.’ Fred
Barnes recently wrote in the Weekly Standard ‘Stronger countermeasures
will be needed, including an unequivocal White House response to obstructionism,
curbs on filibusters, and a clear delineation of what’s permissible and what’s
out of bounds in dissent on Iraq.’ Let’s hear it for the first Amendment,
whatever that is."
(A quote from Greg Toppo in USA Today, as
seen in the 2/3/05 online issue of the Progressive Review)
NAME THE FIRST PUBLIC LIBRARY TO OPERATE ON TAX
FUNDS IN AMERICA
The Boston Public Library has pioneered public
library service in America with revolutionary ideas and famous firsts.
Established in 1848, the BPL was the first publicly supported municipal library
in America, the first public library to lend a book, the first to have a branch
library and the first to have a children’s room.
IMPORTANCE OF BOOKS
Pulitzer prize author Barbara Tuchman (Guns of
August, Stilwell and the American Experience in China) said, "Nothing
sickens me more than the closed door of a library." She also said,
"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent,
literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a
standstill."
ARE YOU MORE IMPORTANT OR BETTER THAN I AM JUST
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A DEGREE?
Every once in a while there is a spate of articles
about the importance of degrees in the library world. Of course I recognize the
value of advanced training in the profession of my choice but I also recognize
the extreme value of the life experiences of those I’ve worked with during my
career. If running libraries were only left up to those with masters, and
doctors degrees in library and information science, I think there would be far
fewer libraries in this world….and those that did exist would be far duller
places. I read on a listserv recently that an evangelist once said "We walk
around with our titles on a tag attached to our forehead. They mean nothing. If
you get to heaven, they’ll all be torn off. If you go to hell, they’ll all
be burned off!"
MLS or Masters of anything…BS, PhD, high school diploma…the title doesn’t make you. YOU make you. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Advanced training is important in any field and I wouldn’t want the library community as a whole to operate without the general direction of folks who have received those higher degrees…and I do at least somewhat agree that advanced degrees are ‘worth’ a higher salary – at least to start with. But, having the piece of paper only means that you were in a life situation that allowed you to go to college and you took advantage of it. It doesn’t mean that you are smarter or more devoted to our common task of providing open access to information.
I’ll assume that readers grasp the idea that I get really upset when I hear that people are sometimes kept from offering their skills and creativity to our field – just because they don’t have the recognizably ‘right’ piece of paper hanging on their office wall. By my definition, those who act in a way that shows they care about our mission are ‘professionals’ and deserve the respect of all who work with them.
-- Heather Eldred
‘IT’S ALL GOOD’ BLOG COVERS WIDE RANGE OF LIBRARY TOPICS
It's all good
is a blog from Three Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) staff about all
things present and future that impact libraries and library users. The blog’s
content is not vetted by OCLC, and everything you read is purely the personal
reflections about what's going on in libraryland -- informed by their birds-eye
views from the center of the WorldCat universe in Dublin, Ohio. You can visit
the blog at http://scanblog.blogspot.com
One recent timely post, titled Demonstrating Value
http://scanblog.blogspot.com/2005/02/demonstrating-value.html
talks about the fact that this is the legislative season in most states, and
that OCLC just released a set of advocacy ads that may be of use to libraries www.oclc.org/advocacy/default.htm.
Some library staff members also share how they will be using the
materials. Visit the blog for more of the discussion.
A WVLS WORKSHOP FOR DECISION MAKERS!
Evaluating and Improving Staff Performance
&
Making Hard Choices
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Marathon County Public Library
300 N. First Street, Wausau
This dynamic workshop will feature nationally acclaimed speaker, Pat Wagner, President of Pattern Research in Boulder, Colorado. Pat has been conducting workshops for libraries and library organizations, including ALA, for 22 years. Pat conducts training programs and consults on management and personnel topics at all levels, from one-person rural libraries to large urban districts, from library boards to state libraries, and in all types of libraries and library organizations. She has been invited to speak at ALA, SLA, ARMA, MLA, and AALL national events, as well as for statewide programs in 42 states, from Alaska to Hawaii. A summary of her recent library speaking engagements is available at http://www.pattern.com/
9:00 – 9:30 Registration, Coffee and Conversation 9:30 – Noon Evaluating & Improving Staff Performance Learn simple and effective ways to evaluate employee performance with less
stress and better results. Setting goals, supervising without micromanaging and ending the employer-employee relationship are just some of the topics to be covered.Noon – 1:30 Lunch 1:30 – 3:00 Making Hard Choices It’s a challenging time for public libraries. While use of traditional services remains strong, demands for new services and materials grow. While funding is decreasing, frozen or stagnating, public libraries are grappling with space needs, adding new formats, participating in shared systems, planning and providing interesting and enlightening programs, keeping pace with new technologies, and finding, training and paying staff. Join in a presentation and discussion of how boards and staff can make the hard choices needed to keep the public library a key community center during challenging times by re-examining libraries’ core principles and "business as usual" practices in the light of a whole new set of challenges.
Please R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, April 26th -
- by phone - Marla Sepnafski, WVLS, 715/261-7252
- online at WVLS workshop page – http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.html
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS IN NEED
Based on research conducted since 1958, Search Institute has identified 40
developmental assets that all young people need to grow up to be healthy,
principled and caring adults. The more assets a young person has developed, the
more likely they are to make positive choices. Conversely, the fewer assets a
young person has developed, the more likely they are to become involved in
risk-taking behaviors. It has been found nationwide that most students have
fewer than half of these 40 assets. The list of 40 developmental assets as well
as tips for focusing on each one is too long to include in its entirety here,
but may be requested from Beth Sillars at the WVLS office (715/261-7255 or sillars@wvls.lib.wi.us).
Following is the featured asset for February:
EQUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE – Asset #27
Youth are more likely to grow up healthy when they place a
high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
Volunteer at a homeless shelter or food pantry or help Habitat for Humanity build a house for a needy family. Instead of spending money on holiday gifts for family members, make donations to charitable organizations. Learn about how families in poverty in our own community survive from day to day. Keep informed about news around the world – turn on CNN, listen to public radio, and read the newspaper. Talk about social injustice and how all forms of discrimination and oppression affect the individual as well as the culture in which we live. Help young people see the world beyond their own existence and encourage them to reach out to others in need.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS KRIS ADAMS WENDT TO COLAND
Governor Doyle's office recently announced eight new appointments and three
reappointments to the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND).
Created by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1979, COLAND advises the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction to ensure that all state citizens have
access to library and information services. Council findings are
communicated as advisory recommendations to the State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, Governor, and legislature.
The new council members are Michael E. Bahr, Germantown; Miriam Erickson, Fish Creek; Bob Koechley, Fitchburg; John Nichols, Oshkosh; Calvin Potter, Sheboygan Falls; Lisa Solverson, Viroqua; Linda Stelter, Eau Claire; and Kristine Adams Wendt, Director of the Rhinelander District Library. Kathy Pletcher, Green Bay; Kristi Williams, Cottage Grove; and Patricia LaViolette, Green Bay, were reappointed to seats on the council.
The 19-member council functions as a forum through which librarians and members of the public identify, study, and collect public testimony on issues affecting Wisconsin libraries and other information services. Members serve three-year terms. Membership includes ten professional members who represent various public and private libraries as well as library educators. The remaining nine council positions are held by public members with a demonstrated interest in libraries or other types of information services.
Additional information about COLAND may be obtained at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/coland/
Following are two FREE booklists that are new on the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) website which relate to recent and upcoming LSTA Special Needs grants awarded to WVLS to provide and enhance library services to Latinos and seniors.
Positive Portrayals of the Aging and Elderly
A list of 91 titles with positive portrayals of aging and older characters for readers from PreK to Grade 6. This list was created by ALSC as part of a collaborative project with the SEA Change Program of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities at The George Washington University in response to a study by the American Association for Retired Persons and the National Academy for Teaching and Learning about Aging that showed most children hold a negative view of the elderly, despite having positive feelings toward older persons in their own families.http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/booklists/booklists.htm
Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A.
A bibliography of children's books prepared by the ALSC International Relations Committee for the 2004 Conference Program "Serving the Needs of Latinos in the US through Children's Literature." Coordinating Volunteer Support for Librarieshttp://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/booklists/GrowingUpLatino.htm
The Event
The organizers were hoping that if they held it, they would come – and come
they did, from 20 communities representing 6 library systems, all to validate
the proposition that together, each could accomplish more to support their local
libraries.
The occasion was the first, hopefully annual, Northwoods Conference for Library Friends and Supporters, held last October 16 at the Rhinelander District Library.
Jointly sponsored by the Wisconsin Valley Library Service and the Friends of the Marathon County Public Library in Wausau, the event was an experiment in coordination, communication and cooperation among participants united in their determination to help libraries meet the myriad challenges facing them today. As the Conference program noted, "Budget cuts, changing technologies, changing demographics, the need to do more with less are all causing libraries to reinvent themselves."
Given the political and legislative context in which they exist, library personnel are not positioned to accomplish this task alone.
In her keynote address to the group, Mary Bethke, Director of the Marathon County Public Library, pointed out that "Friends, boards, and support groups have to be ready to take action, be part of the discussion and the solutions."
In their zeal to advance their library’s interests, both Trustees and Friends often overlook the extent to which they share common ground. As the Friends Conference made clear, Friends and Trustees are often unrecognized allies in pursuing similar goals for the libraries each group represents.
An array of speakers sought to define ways to bring about shared solutions by focusing on the three major approaches the Marathon county Public Library Friends have adopted: Membership, Fundraising, and Publicity. The Membership component began with an initial foray into defining the role of Friends within the library’s organizational structure.
Role Playing
In general, library staff handle the day-to-day administrative aspects of
running libraries; Trustees promulgate their principles of governance; and
Friends represent citizen participation. Volunteering one’s time is a prime
way for members of the public to become involved in the library and for
librarians to get to know some of their best customers. Although superficially
distinct, there can be considerable overlap between each group’s goals and
approaches. Trustees can adopt many of the strategies the Conference attributed
to Friends, while Friends can embrace many tactics employed by Trustees.
Supplemental Funding
Book sales are an established means Friends use to raise supplemental funds
for libraries. Other, more innovative activities supporters can undertake to
provide financial support are:
- Collating, paying the postage for, and mailing the library’s newsletter
- Submitting grant applications to local or state foundations
- Sponsoring fun runs/walks
- Holding craft and bake sales, possibly in conjunction with other community events
- Sales of books and other discarded library material through eBay
- Selling "Bulbs for Books" in the Spring
- Offering plant sales/exchanges
- Maintaining an in-library coffee vending machine or kiosk
- Placing donation jars at Friends-sponsored events
- Selling tee shirts and book bags to combine a source of income with publicity
- Holding silent auctions
- Selling raffle tickets for quilts, self-published cookbooks
- Coordinating summer garden tours and a Christmas Tour of Homes
- Making cold calls to local businesses seeking donations in the form of cash, books, art work and media
Vox Populi
While Friends groups have traditionally been seen as fundraisers, their role
in raising political and legislative capital is equally important.
Friends, Trustees and others can influence the political process in favor of libraries and help equalize the distribution of tax dollars. It was suggested that the voice of the people who use libraries is more influential to legislators than that of the people who work in them by a factor of 10 to one.
At any rate, the key principle is formulating and perpetuating a positive library image in the minds of the public and government officials. To that end, following are promotional strategies that can be employed:
- Attend Library Legislative Day
- Have a regular library support column in local newspapers
- Submit favorable letters to the newspaper’s editorial page
- Publish a Friends newsletter or have a Friends page in the library’s newsletter
- "Lobbying" against budget reductions through editorials written for local newspapers and through simple word of mouth
- Initiate and publicize book discussion groups at the library
- Ensure the library’s and/or Friends newsletter is sent to local politicians and state legislators
- Attend budget hearings and speak up for libraries
- Make certain Friends activities and library events appear in local calendars of events, such as Chamber of Commerce web sites
Volunteers in Service to Libraries
Ultimately, the Friends Conference helped define how volunteers provide an
indispensable range of support services and suggested ways the major library
volunteer organizations, Friends and Trustees alike, can supplement one another’s
efforts. Friends and Trustees can each be more effective by seeking greater
opportunities for synergy between their organizations. More recognition of their
respective roles and greater communication such as that facilitated by the
Northwoods Conference constitutes a means toward this end for all library
advocates, regardless of what they call themselves. After all, it will be our
libraries that will benefit to whatever extent Friends, Trustees and other
volunteer supporters can gain mutual understanding of one another’s roles,
forge alliances and coordinate their efforts. –
Doug Lay, 2005 Chair of the Wisconsin Library Trustees Association and WVLS
Trustee
CHECK SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS!
Question: I am new to hiring. What’s the most important thing I should do?
Answer: Check Social Security numbers (SSNs). If an employee uses a false
number, critical information may not turn up on background checks. Employers can
confirm up to five SSNs at a time by calling the Social Security Administration
at 800-772-6270. For more information, go to www.ssa.gov/employer/ssnv.htm
LOVE YOUR LIBRARY LICENSE PLATE
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles developed two designs for a
"Love Your Library" license plate. Legislation passed last fall
created the "Love Your Library" license plate, for the purpose of
providing funding for the statewide summer reading program. The license plates
cost $25 per year in addition to the vehicle registration fee.
WEB SITES OF INTEREST (tourist traps on the information superhighway!)
IAN’S SHOELACE SITE
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/
"How many possible ways are there to lace an average shoe?" The
author presents nearly two dozen methods he considers "worthy of devoting
the time required to create instructions." Includes illustrations, and
information about shoelace knots, aiglet ("the plastic or metal sleeves at
the ends of shoelaces") repair, and shoelace length formulas.
STUDY ON WISCONSIN PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM SIZE AND ORGANIZATION
The UW--Madison School of Library &
Information Studies has issued a report on Wisconsin Public Library System Size
and Organization. This study was supported by LSTA funds. One of the
original objectives of the study was to see whether a model could be developed
to show the optimal size and configuration of library systems. It was concluded
that such a model could not be developed in Wisconsin, but the study does
present some information that may be helpful to future library system
planning. The full report may be downloaded from a link on the "New
Adds or Updates" section of the Public Library Development Team home page
at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dltcl/pld
PUBLIB BEST BOOKS FOR 2004 http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/PubLib/archive/0502/0201.html
The best books and audiobooks for 2004 (and a good list to recommend at
anytime), as selected by the PUBLIB discussion list community. PUBLIB is a
5,000-member discussion list for public libraries. Chart, updated yearly,
indicating what copyrighted works are in the public domain, or when they will
enter the public domain. Author is the Director for Instruction and Learning in
the Instruction, Research, and Information Services Division of Cornell
University Library and serves as the Intellectual Property Officer for the
Cornell University Library.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/spring_training/y2005/index.jsp
This site will be particularly helpful to anyone whose heart is beating a
little bit faster this week due to the fact that the first spring training
baseball game is less than a week away!
SO YOU WANNA SPEAK WITH AN IRISH ACCENT? http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/irishaccent/irishaccent.html
Just in time for St. Pat’s day, this site will help you speak with an
authentic accent.
GREEN CUISINE! - St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
March 2 – Dr. Seuss’ birthday & Read Across America – www.nea.org
March 8-9 – Children’s Book Fest, Rhinelander – for details, visit the WVLS web site at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.html
March 12 – WVLS Board of Trustees meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30.
March 16-18 – 20th Annual Computers in Libraries Conference – Washington, D.C. – visit www.infotoday.com/cil2005 for conference updates.
March 18 – Statewide Summer Library Program Kickoff – Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells - $18- for more information, go to the Lakeshores Library System home page, http://www.lakeshores.lib.wi.us, and click on the Children’s Services link under Related Information’ or contact Rhonda Puntney at 262-514-4500 x 67 or rpuntney@lakeshores.lib.wi.us - registration deadline March 11th.
March 22 – Wisconsin Women Equal Prosperity (WW=P) 2005 Convention – Monona Terrace Convention Center, Madison - $35 – registration deadline is March 10th – for more information, visit www.wisconsinwomenequalsprosperity.org or the WVLS web site at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.html
April - School Library Media Month Tips, tools, and resources for informing the public about who library media specialists are and how they help kids are located on the American Library Association’s web site at www.ala.org/@yourlibrary
April 10-16 – National Library Week – theme: "Something for Everyone @ your library" - If you haven’t started planning already, now’s the time to brainstorm @ your library! For lots of ideas, information, and pre-written press releases and PSAs, written in English and Spanish, click on the NLW icon at www.ala.org/@yourlibrary/
April 11-17 – Young People’s Poetry Week – This annual celebration is sponsored by the Children’s Book Council in collaboration with the American Academy of Poets and the Center for the Book, in the Library of Congress. Classroom materials, including a Young People’s Poetry Week poster and postcards by Peter McCarty, are posted online for poetry enthusiasts at http://www.cbcbooks.org (School Library Journal; 2/05)
April 12 – National Library Workers Day.
April 28 – "Evaluating and Improving Staff Performance" & "Making Hard Choices" – a WVLS workshop for trustees, directors, supervisors and decision-makers – guest speaker will be Pat Wagner, President of Pattern Research ( http://www.pattern.com ) - Marathon County Public Library – 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. – for details, see article above or visit http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.html
May 12-13 – Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries Spring Conference – Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton.
June 23-29 – 2005 Annual ALA Conference – Chicago, IL. More information, including conference and hotel registration, is at http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annual/2005a/home.htm
July 16 – The release date for JK Rowling’s sixth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
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– Walter Payton
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ATTENTION: WESSLER SCHOLARSHIPS are available to cover some/all costs associated with attendance at reference and/or interlibrary loan continuing education events. If interested in becoming a Wessler Scholar, contact the WVLS office (715/261-7250) for more information. The application form and more information are available at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/About/wessler.htm
is a monthly newsletter of the Wisconsin
Valley Library Service.
300 N. First
Street / Wausau, WI 54403
Contributions are welcome!
Back issues are available at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Newsletter/newsindex.htm
(Note: Web links in past issues are not checked for currency and may no
longer work.)
| EDITOR: Marla Sepnafski Phone: 715/261-7252 FAX: 715/261-7259 |
Contributions are welcome!
News items should be submitted by the first of the month.
WVLS serves Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Taylor counties.
When the most recent issue becomes available, readers are alerted by a notice
posted to WISPUBLIB, or sent an email.
To subscribe to WISPUBLIB, send an email message to wispublib@badger.state.wi.us
In the body of the message (subject line is ignored) type: subscribe WISPUBLIB.
Then send your email. To have The Lamplighter emailed to you without subscribing
to WISPUBLIB, contact Barbara Freimund at 715/261-7252, or email freimund@wvls.lib.wi.us
